The Second Time Around
by Storywriter55
Summary: Neal and Sara prepare to renew their wedding vows against a backdrop of drama and intrigue. Warning: multiple sightings of the many acquaintances the Caffreys have made throughout the Milestones series. Part of the Milestones series (25.1 years)
1. Chapter 1

(25.1 years)

 **Chapter 1**

'So we're really doing this, then?' Neal asked.

Sara reached across the table and snatched a slice of crisp bacon off Neal's plate, popping it into her mouth as he looked on, unruffled. She'd been picking food off his plate since they'd first met - refusing to order high calorie fare only to pick away at Neal's plate when his meal finally arrived. Luckily, he'd ordered an extra rasher of bacon - otherwise, there would likely be nothing left on the plate for him.

'Sara?' he said as she stared off into space.

'What?' she asked, her attention returning to her husband.

'We're really doing this, then?' he repeated.

A smile returned to her lips and whatever had been on her mind momentarily vanished as her attention returned to the discussion they'd been having.

'Yeah' she said, her smile growing. 'It's the perfect time, don't you think? Now that Hope and Liam are both out of the house and Caitlin is in college.'

'So what do you think? Right around our anniversary?' he suggested, pulling up a calendar on his phone. 'We leave for Paris on the 18th… we could do it on the Sunday before, the 15th.'

Sara looked a little unsure, something that didn't escape Neal's keen eye. 'You're worried about Hope' he stated more than asked.

'Aren't _you_?' she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Neal gave her a confident look, intent on reassuring her. 'She's going to be fine. And we'll be back in plenty of time…' he reminded her.

Sara seemed to realize she was being silly and she looked up at her husband with a goofy grin on her face. 'You're right, I'm being silly. That sounds perfect… Sunday the 15th.'

Neal returned the smile and reached out for her hand, his fingers lingering on her wedding ring.

'What about rings? Should we get new ones?'

'No!' Sara said spontaneously, pulling her hand away and returning to her white egg omelet. 'I _love_ my ring.'

She glanced down at the ring Neal had picked out for her almost twenty-five years before, a sparkling emerald beautifully set between two diamonds. She had fallen in love with it the moment she'd first laid eyes on it, all those years ago in Neal's loft at June's.

'Okay then' Neal nodded, taking a sip of coffee. 'Maybe we can just… I don't know… I was thinking we could have them inscribed with something for the occasion.'

Sara slipped it off, a faint indent remaining on her ring finger and she glanced down at the inside of the band. 'There's already an inscription' she reminded him with a wistful smile.

Truth was, after years of wear, the inscription Neal had lovingly had engraved on the inside of her wedding ring was barely visible. He reached out to take it from her hand.

'At least, let me have them both cleaned' he said. 'If I'm going to slip this ring back on your finger and promise to love, honour and cherish you for another twenty-five years, we should at least give it back its original lustre.'

'Not yet' Sara whined, snatching it back and returning it to her finger. 'I'm not walking around without it for the next six weeks.'

Neal grinned at her rarely seen sentimental streak, returning to his breakfast.

Sonia, their regular waitress appeared, coffee pot in hand. 'More coffee?' she asked.

They'd been coming to Mel's Diner on weekends ever since they'd moved to White Plains, usually with the kids, although not so much since Liam had gone away to school.

'Please' Neal said, lifting his cup.

'So are you two really going to renew your wedding vows?' she asked, hand on one hip.

'Looks like it!' Sara said as she gave Neal a furtive glance.

'That is _so_ romantic' Sonia said, her voice languid. 'You know, you two are my favourite couple' she added, leaning in and lowering her voice as if confiding some deep, dark secret.

'Well, that works out perfectly because you're our favourite waitress' Neal responded with a twinkle in his eye.

'Hey, Sonia! Table six needs coffee' Mel's loud voice was heard, resonating through the diner.

Neal gave her a brilliant smile and a flirtatious wink and the woman smiled warmly, shrugging before leaving them on their own.

Sara laughed, the woman had had stars in her eyes ever since she'd first met Neal, years before. 'You really shouldn't encourage her, you know. She's had a mammoth crush on you for years.'

'It's just harmless flirting' Neal answered with a shrug. 'She's happily married to Mel and… well, so am I… I mean not happily married to Mel, but to you.'

The comment seemed to go right over Sara's head as her face grew serious once more. Neal continued, convinced she wasn't paying any attention to what he was saying. 'Of course, my other three wives don't seem to mind when I flirt with her so…'

As suspected, he got no reaction at all from his wife; something was obviously gnawing at her and Neal hadn't yet managed to find out what it was.

'Hey, Repo!' he said, pulling her out of her reverie. 'Do you want to tell me what's been on your mind ever since we sat down?'

'Just… work' Sara responded vaguely with a faraway look in her eyes.

'You still working on the case of the disappearing cameo brooch?' he asked.

Sara appeared annoyed at the question although her annoyance wasn't directed at Neal. She'd been stumped by a series of seemingly unrelated thefts from the homes of some of Sterling Bosch's most elite clients.

'It doesn't make any sense, Neal. None of the stolen items have surfaced anywhere. Usually, you hear a whisper here and there when something comes on the black market but it's almost as if the items have totally vanished in thin air… or are being hoarded.'

'You still think the thefts aren't related?' he asked.

Sara shook her head. 'Totally different MO's' she responded '…and they're happening all over the place. One of the thefts happened in London, another one in Seattle and then there was that antique silverware that disappeared from Omar Rashid's mansion in Dubaï.'

'The guy with the gold plated car?' Neal asked, recalling her mentioning the particularly demanding client.

She nodded. 'He's been calling every week for the past two months…'

'Whatever happened with the Matisse you were chasing down?' Neal asked, taking a bite of his cheese omelet.

'We had to pay out' she admitted with a look of disappointment. 'That's the third claim we've had to pay out in the past year - all from our top ten list of most valuable merchandise.'

Neal studied her face; Sara had begun to show cracks in her confidence over the past few months, unable to break some very high end cases, resulting in a higher rate of payouts than usual.

'Do you think I'm losing my mojo, Neal?' she asked in all seriousness.

He laughed at the absurdity of her comment. Sara was the best insurance investigator Sterling Bosch had in their stable. She'd been heading up a team of elite investigators for the past several years and she'd been entrusted with the insurance company's most demanding, finicky clients. Winston Bosch had also asked her to oversee the company's staff mentoring program, something Sara had initiated and which continued to pay dividends for the large insurance company.

'No! Of course not. You've had to deal with some really tough cases lately and you and your team have done everything you can. It's just… a run of bad luck.'

'Well, Mr. Bosch wants to see me first thing Monday morning. I have a feeling I'm going to get an earful.'

'Sara…' Neal said, putting his fork down and looking into her eyes. 'You are the best insurance investigator that ever set foot at Sterling Bosch and Winston Bosch is no fool. He knows that.'

She shrugged and grabbed for another slice of bacon off Neal's plate. 'You want me to order you some bacon? Make you feel better.'

'I don't eat bacon' she pouted, her mouth full as Neal smirked and shook his head.

'Listen, I was thinking we might drive up and see Liam next weekend. They have a game on Saturday night' Neal said, hoping to break the sombre mood.

'Yeah, that'd be nice' she agreed. 'Do you think Peter and Elizabeth might want to come along?'

Neal nodded. Ever since Peter had formally retired from his position at the Raphael, Neal had noticed that his best friend was in a bit of a slump. When Elizabeth had sold Burke Premiere Events the previous year, she had insisted Peter stop working full time so they could enjoy travelling and spending some quality time together. Peter still looked ten years younger than his seventy-three years but he suffered from a lot of aches and pains from all those years in the field working for the FBI and he wasn't as spry as he used to be. But working alongside Cameron Armstrong at the Raphael Gallery had kept him active and busy and lately, he'd been looking like a little boy who lost his dog.

'It might do Peter some good' Neal agreed.

Sara gazed at her husband across the table from her in the bustling diner. She knew how much he worried about his best friend. Watching Peter growing older was hard on Neal who had always idolized his mentor and ex-handler - and perhaps it was a reminder that, he too, was getting older.

'You know, if you wanted to make it a guys' weekend, I've got plenty to do around here. Maybe it would do you good to take off with Peter and have some one on one time with him' Sara suggested.

'You think so?' he asked, frowning.

She reached for his hand and squeezed. 'I do' she said before chuckling. 'I guess I'd better start practicing that phrase if I'm going to marry you again, huh Caffrey?'

WCWCWC

'Mr. Burke!' Cameron Armstrong called out as the little bell over the door of the gallery jingled. 'What brings you out to Chelsea on a Saturday afternoon?'

'Hey Cam!' Peter replied, stepping inside and taking in the dozen or so customers wandering around the place.

'I was just out and about and thought I'd pop in and say hi. Wow, the place is really hopping' he commented.

Cameron turned to face him. 'Yeah, well, tourist season is just around the corner and you know how it gets' he said.

'Good for you, Cam… good for you' Peter replied, taking in the many patrons milling about. 'Is Hope around?'

Cameron smiled; he figured Peter hadn't driven all the way from Brooklyn just to check on how things were going at the gallery. Over the years, the young man had gotten used to having to share Hope, first with Neal and Sara and then with her doting godfather.

'Yeah, she's in the back, finishing up a class. She shouldn't be long' he replied.

'Excuse me' said an older looking woman, stepping forward and interrupting the two men. 'I was wondering what you could tell me about this piece.'

Cam glanced down at the small, framed watercolour she held in her hand, the image of a field of lilies in the bright sunshine. He knew it well, considering it had been painted in the small apartment he shared with Hope.

'It's called ' _Lillies in the Wind_ ' he explained with a smile.

'What can you tell me about the artist?' she asked.

Cameron gave Peter a knowing look before responding. 'She's a very talented up and coming artist. She works mostly in oils and watercolour. We've got several of her pieces upstairs.'

'Is she a local artist?' the woman asked, squinting in an attempt to decipher the signature on the canvas.

'Yes, she is' Cam said, trying to suppress a giggle. ' _Very_ local.'

'What's her name?'

'Hope Ellis-Caffrey' Cameron replied with pride. 'Actually, she's my wife.'

The woman grinned. 'Well, she's very talented. I'll take it.'

Cameron walked her over to the cash register where two other customers were waiting to be served. He gave Peter a shrug and Peter headed to the back of the gallery to find Hope.

Over time, Neal had invested in some renovations to the gallery and the classroom space had been expanded to double its original size. The classes at the Raphael, contrary to the ones at the June Ellington School of Art, catered to well-to-do families and the children's classes, in particular, were always in high demand. They had become so popular that Hope had recently taken over the classes exclusively, leaving the overall management of the gallery to her husband.

Peter walked over and peeked into the classroom, observing as Hope leaned down to speak to one of the students, a young girl who looked to be about eight years old. Hope had a real knack for working with kids, she was patient and calm and Peter loved watching her interact with them; it was one of the things he missed most about not being at the gallery on a daily basis.

In many ways, Hope was still recuperating from the horrific accident she'd been involved in five years earlier. Although cognitively, she'd managed to escape relatively unscathed, she still struggled with her flow of speech at times - especially if she became angry or upset. The stubborn stutter would rear its ugly head and the more upset she became, the more difficult it was to express herself. It frustrated her to no end and she'd worked long and hard on developing strategies to remain calm in order to minimize her level of frustration.

But, to her credit, she had come a very long way and she'd persevered through months of speech and physical therapy following the trauma she'd suffered. Now, she was down to monthly check-ins at the speech clinic - more for troubleshooting than anything else - and she wasn't yet ready to completely let go of the support she received from her therapist.

Emotionally, it had taken her months to recuperate. She had moved back into her parents' place along with Cam, never returning to Pittsburgh to finish her Fine Arts degree at Carnegie Mellon despite her intense desire to do so. The demands of living alone in another city and taking classes full time had been too much for her to face and she'd elected to stay close to home, taking all the courses she could online while she continued to heal from multiple surgeries, including plastic surgery for her facial injuries. Nowadays, the scars on her face were almost imperceptible to the naked eye but Hope still saw them every time she looked in the mirror. But with her family's support and Cam's steadfast presence by her side, she was learning to accept the relics of the suffering she'd endured throughout her lengthy ordeal.

Eventually, she and Cam had gotten a small place in the Bay Ridge neighbourhood of Brooklyn and with time, Neal had turned his attention exclusively to running the June Ellington School of Art and had left the management of the Raphael in Cam and Hope's capable hands. They had grown their art classes and diversified their offerings and the gallery's sales had skyrocketed, to Neal's delight.

Hope caught sight of Peter glancing through the glass door of the classroom and she waved as he smiled back. He beckoned her with a single finger point and she excused herself, peeking her head out the door.

'Hey, Uncle Peter' she said with a wide smile. 'What are you doing here?'

He kissed her cheek and returned the smile. 'I wanted to know if I could take you out to lunch' he said.

'Yeah, if you can wait until I'm done, I'm all yours' said the young woman with just the slightest hesitation in her speech.

Anyone who hadn't known Hope prior to the accident wouldn't even notice the slower speech pattern but Peter did and he knew how frustrated she got when her mouth couldn't keep up with her brilliant mind.

Peter returned to perusing the art on the walls, noticing some new acquisitions - more experimental styles than when he and Neal had been running the place. It was nice to see the kids making a go of it in this brave new world.

Before long, the group of youngsters began to trickle out of the classroom and Hope finally appeared as Peter and Cameron made their way to join her.

'Hey sweetie. How did it go?' Cameron asked as he placed a kiss on the top of Hope's head.

'Great' she exclaimed, looking relaxed. 'Guess what? I've been invited out to lunch.'

'Oh, you have, have you?' Cameron said with mock annoyance. 'Explain to me how it is you get invited out to lunch and I get to stay here and keep the place running.'

'Just lucky, I guess' she answered, deadpan. 'Do you think you can handle things without me for a couple of hours? Just leave everything as it is, I'll clean up when I get back' she said, pointing to the classroom.

Cameron nodded. 'Don't overdo it at lunch, remember, we're having dinner at your parents' place tonight' he reminded her, his arm reaching out to hug her.

Hope nodded - there wasn't much of a chance she'd forget, considering her dad had already texted her twice - _and_ left a voice message on her phone asking what she was in the mood to eat.

Cameron gazed at his beautiful wife, her thick, wavy hair piled up on top of her head with willowy wisps of soft curls escaping and framing her face. She looked amazing, especially nowadays, and he reached out, bringing his hand to rest on her round belly and giving it a loving pat.

'Make sure she doesn't have any asparagus' he said, addressing Peter as if she were a two-year old who couldn't speak for herself. 'It gives her heartburn.'

Hope rolled her eyes at his overprotectiveness.

'Yes, sir' Peter said, giving him a salute. 'Don't you worry. I promise to take good care of the two of them.'

And with that, he ushered his favourite girl out the door.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hope's eyes brightened as Peter pulled up in front of one of her favourite bistros - of which there was no shortage in the Chelsea Art District. Before she could unbuckle her seatbelt and position her bulging stomach to step out of the car, he was there, holding the door open for her and offering up his hand.

'Thanks' she muttered, slightly embarrassed. 'Every day, it seems to get a little harder to manoeuvre in and out of the car.'

Within minutes, they were seated at a table near the rear, having had to pass on the offer of a booth - which was more private but no longer accommodated Hope's expanding girth.

The smell of pizza in the wood burning oven permeated the air. 'It smells fantastic in here' Hope raved, accepting a menu from her uncle's outstretched hand.

'I figured we hadn't been out on a pizza date in a really long time' Peter said, a look of worry suddenly appearing on his face. 'You _can_ still do pizza, right, pumpkin?'

He thought of the countless pizzas they'd shared over the years, all those Saturday afternoons spent together while she was growing up, sharing mindless activities - often culminating with a sausage pizza.

Hope smiled warmly at the term of endearment. 'Yes, Uncle Peter, I can still do pizza. And don't worry about Cameron, he's just in this overprotective 'papa bear' phase lately' she said, complete with air quotes. 'And I have a feeling it might last a while… like, say, the next fifty years.'

Peter chuckled and returned his eyes to the menu. Seeing his precious goddaughter morphing into a mother-to-be was more than a little destabilizing. In his eyes, she was still a little girl and yet, with everything she'd been through, she was stronger and more courageous than he would ever be. She'd come through a horrific period in her life with her zest for living and her sense of humour intact and that said an awful lot about her strength of character.

'So, what do we need to steer away from?' he asked, glancing at the menu.

'Sadly, sausage is a no-no right now - unless you want me burping all afternoon' Hope said, hand on her belly. 'Who knew, huh? Mom says that when she was pregnant, she couldn't stand the smell of bacon - which she loves, by the way - and for me it's sausage and asparagus, which I've _never_ liked.'

'Well, let's go vegetarian then' Peter suggested, more than willing to adapt to the situation.

Hope pouted. 'Are you kidding? No way! Let's go with the meat lovers special and just hold back on the sausage.'

'Sounds great' Peter said, putting his menu down on the table. 'So, tell me, how have you been feeling lately.'

Hope smiled broadly. 'Great! They say the second trimester is the best and I'm coming to the end of that but… besides the fact I no longer fit in confined spaces, I'm feeling pretty good.'

'So, do you think you'll make it to your due date?' he asked, slightly uncomfortable about discussing her pregnancy.

'The doctor says all systems are go. We're still looking at July 17th as D-day so I've got…' she stopped for a moment doing a mental calculation '… about eleven weeks to go.'

'Your mom's been worried about their trip to Europe' Peter confided.

'I know, I keep telling her not to worry. They'll be back in plenty of time. Anyway, that trip's been planned since before I even got pregnant so I'm not having them change a thing. It's their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and they deserve a romantic getaway now that Liam and I have finally flown the coop' she said.

There was an awkward silence and Hope looked up at her uncle. 'How are _you_ doing? I mean, with retirement?'

She knew it was a touchy subject. Retiring from his job at the gallery hadn't been entirely his idea; he had agreed to it more for her aunt Elizabeth's sake than anything else. He still had a lot of energy despite some minor health issues and besides, working at the Raphael wasn't anywhere near as strenuous as his previous job running the FBI's White Collar Division.

'Oh, you know… I'm keeping on top of home repairs so El's happy and I've invested in a few crossword puzzle magazines…' he said, his voice trailing.

'We miss you… at the gallery' Hope confided. 'We're doing great but… well, having you there always made going into work even more special.'

Peter smiled wistfully. He really missed seeing people coming in and out at the gallery; it made him feel connected to the world somehow and more importantly, it allowed him to spend some quality time with Neal. He had thoroughly enjoyed keeping the books for the gallery, feeling that he was contributing in some small way to its success. But things had changed when June had passed away and after Neal bought out Peter's share of the Raphael and began concentrating on the School of Art, Peter had reverted to being an employee and things had never quite been the same. Still, getting up every morning and heading out to Manhattan had given his life meaning and he missed it.

He shook off the nostalgia and looked across the table at Hope's beaming face. 'When the baby comes… well, don't forget that El and I have a lot of experience babysitting' he offered, trying to break the serious mood.

'That's great but I think you might have to wrestle Dad to get any time with this little guy' she said, patting her belly. 'He's going to be impossible to keep away.'

'Well, he'll just need to learn to share' Peter said decisively as they both laughed.

Times they were a'changing and yet, every moment was precious in its own way.

WCWCWC

The sound of rap music filled the studio as Caitlin Somersby worked away at her latest class project, an oil landscape. As part of her arts program at NYU, she needed to diversify although in her spare time, she still concentrated exclusively on sculpture, her first love.

She reflected on the past six years, living in the Caffrey home alongside Neal, Sara and their offspring. The house had been way too quiet since Liam had relocated to Syracuse and lately, she'd been thinking about getting a small place of her own so Neal and Sara could finally get back to living their lives.

Not that the Caffreys had ever pressured her to leave. Quite the contrary. Neal had encouraged her to save up her earnings from her part-time job at the Blue Skies Childcare Centre and stay with them as long as she needed - or at least until she finished her combined degree in arts and education.

She thought back to all the heartache she'd caused the couple over the years - getting into trouble at school, the drugs, the broken curfews, the arguments, sneaking out to see boys. If the roles had been reversed, she would have given up on herself a long time ago and yet, they had persevered and she was grateful for their love and support now that her future loomed bright.

Her thoughts turned to her mom, who'd been in and out of her life for the past five years. The woman was a mess, still battling her demons although she'd been smart enough - or was that lucky enough - to stay out of jail. She was still involved with the wrong people, unable or unwilling to give up on booze and drugs, a lesson on what _not_ to do with your life. Caitlin was eternally grateful that Neal Caffrey and Sara Ellis had crossed her path. Contrary to her mom, Neal had picked himself up off the ground after a scary run-in with alcohol abuse and he'd gotten his life back on track - an inspiration to his foster daughter and a grim reminder that life could take a nasty turn when you least expected.

She swallowed hard and felt tears stinging her eyes as thoughts of Linda Bennett popped up unexpectedly. Notwithstanding Neal, the elderly woman had been the single most influential person she'd met in her twenty-one short years of life. Linda's death had left a huge, gaping hole in Caitlin's life - and in her heart. Neal's mom had been wise and funny and Caitlin had latched on to her like a buoy as she'd struggled with doing the right thing with her life.

Now that she was gone, Caitlin missed her terribly and keeping her job at Blue Skies, where Linda had resided, was a way of holding on to her memory. Thankfully, her passing had been serene and Caitlin had been privileged to be there in the end, holding her hand and watching her peacefully slip away. All her life, Caitlin had felt abandoned, first by her parents, then by the foster families she'd lived with. But, surprisingly, Linda's departure had not felt like an abandonment but rather a sad inevitable departure, a sadness which she'd shared with Neal, Sara and the rest of the extended Caffrey family. That, somehow, had made it easier to cope with as they had all pulled together, each of them grieving in their own way.

She put down her paintbrush and stood back from the easel, pleased with her effort; maybe she could get Neal to take a look and critique her efforts before she went on any further. She had just started to clean up when she suddenly heard footsteps over her head. Neal and Sara were home. She turned off the music, smiling.

WCWCWC

Liam Caffrey lay on the narrow bed in his dorm room, his boyfriend curled up against him. It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, a rainy one to boot, and Cody had fallen asleep, not surprisingly, considering they had been out clubbing the night before. Liam rarely indulged in social activities on campus; he treated his life as a sophomore at the University of Syracuse with the respect it deserved. As a member of the university's intramural basketball team, he was held to a high standard and despite the partial scholarship he'd been lucky enough to qualify for, his parents had forked over a considerable amount of cash for him to live on campus. The least he could do was to work hard and make them proud.

A loud thunderclap was heard above their heads and Cody stirred, bringing his arm around Liam's waist and squeezing.

'Hey' he moaned, sleepily. 'You let me fall asleep.'

'I didn't have the heart to wake you' Liam said as he placed a kiss on Cody's forehead. 'You looked so peaceful.'

'Well, if I'm going to make it back before nightfall, I guess I should get going…' Cody murmured.

Liam sighed, his chest rising as Cody chuckled. 'You get like this every time I leave, you big sap' he said playfully.

'I know… I hate us being apart' Liam admitted, bringing his lips down to meet Cody's.

The kiss intensified and Cody pulled away, looking into his boyfriend's eyes. 'Josh might be back any minute' he reminded him.

Liam ignored him, moving his lips to Cody's neck and depositing a trail of soft kisses while Cody moaned. 'You really want your roomie walking in on us making out?' he asked.

Liam grunted and continued, undeterred. 'We never have any time alone anymore' he complained as Cody began to react to Liam's touches.

'The semester is over in another three weeks and then, you'll be home for the summer' Cody reminded him, between heated kisses. 'We'll have some time then…'

There was a soft knock at the door and the young men dialled down the intensity, remaining in each other's arms.

'Come on in' Liam called out with a loud sigh.

A tall, lanky young man stepped in, looking somewhat embarrassed at having interrupted them. 'Sorry guys… I just need to get my calculus book' he said as he stepped in.

Cody tore himself away from Liam and sat up on the edge of the bed. 'It's okay Josh, I've got to head out anyway.'

Josh grabbed a couple of books and waved meekly, closing the door behind him as he left the lovers alone - but the moment had passed and Liam got to his feet, joining Cody.

'Are you coming next weekend?' he asked, hopeful. 'I've got a game on Saturday night.'

Cody shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face. 'Sorry babe, I've got to cram for a couple of exams.'

Liam nodded. 'All right' he said, lacing his arms around Cody's waist and laying his head against his shoulder.

They stood for a moment in each other's arms, neither one wanting to break the spell. Finally, Liam pulled away. 'Text me when you get home' he murmured as the two men kissed. 'Or better yet… call me to say goodnight.'

Cody smiled and stepped away, grabbing his overnight bag and turning to give Liam one last, longing look. 'Love you' he said as he opened the door and stepped out.

Liam let himself fall on the bed with a heavy heart.

WCWCWC

Hope looked down at her empty plate and gave her husband a look he knew all too well.

'You're kidding' he said as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

He stood, taking her plate over to the stove where Neal had left the half-eaten casserole.

'I guess it's a good thing I doubled the recipe' Neal said, stifling a giggle.

'Yeah, well she's like a human vacuum cleaner, lately' Cam said, scooping up a couple of spoonfuls of shepherd's pie onto his wife's plate. 'I found her with her head in the fridge at three in the morning the other night.'

Neal and Sara exchanged amused looks as the image of a pregnant Sara raiding the fridge at all hours came to both of them simultaneously.

'Honey, you look great!' Sara said, reaching out to touch her daughter's hand. 'How's the heartburn?'

'As long as I avoid certain foods, it's fine. But I've been feeling sick lately when I smell coffee' Hope admitted with a pout. 'Go figure… I can drink the stuff but the smell makes me want to puke.'

Cameron returned, placing the plate in front of Hope and watching as she drowned it in ketchup, digging in without even taking a breath. 'Mmmmm. Dad, is this a new recipe?' she asked, her mouth full.

Neal shook his head and grinned. 'Honey, it's the same thing I've been making since you were a year old' he confessed.

Cameron turned to face his in-laws. 'So, what's the scoop with the big celebration? Have you picked a date yet?'

Neal nodded, his face brightening. 'We have. We're going to do it just before we leave on our trip. We were thinking of Sunday, the 15th.'

'It's going to be so cool' Hope said, between bites. 'How often do you get to go to your parents' wedding?'

'I hate to state the obvious, sweet pea, but you _were_ at our first wedding' Neal reminded her.

Hope frowned. Technically, her dad was right. 'I was three months old, Dad. I don't remember a thing.'

'Auntie El and I are going to do some planning next weekend if you want to help out' Sara said to Hope. 'You know, venue, clothes, music, flowers…'

'Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Repo' Neal said, turning to look at his wife. 'Are you kidding me?'

'Neal, it's a wedding. We have to do some planning' Sara said, glaring at Neal as if he'd grown a second head. 'There's a lot to think about. And you and I have to get busy on the guest list - we've only got six weeks to go.'

'Is Aunt Emily coming?' Hope asked, excited.

'I'm sure she wouldn't miss it' Sara said.

'Who else were you thinking of inviting?' Hope asked.

'Well, we kept it small when we got married the first time' Neal said. 'It might be nice to have a big party.'

Sara nodded - on this, they agreed. It was a great opportunity to invite the friends they'd made throughout their married life.

'Oh, by the way' Neal said. 'I got Scott's new e-mail address. He said he and Moira and the girls would drive down for the day.'

'That's great' Sara said.

Neal stood and the sound of his chair scraping the floor woke Raffie who got to his feet and began sniffing under his master's chair. The old dog had been hiding under the table undetected, hoping for random scraps of food and he sluggishly followed Neal to the sink and lay down, watching as Neal proceeded to put on a pot of coffee.

'It's a beautiful night. Why don't you ladies go on out and sit on the deck. Cam and I will get some coffee' he suggested.

'And dessert?' Hope asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Neal chuckled. 'I'm sure I can find something lying around' he said as Cameron helped Hope to her feet.

'You okay, sweetie?' he asked as Hope glared at him.

'Cam, I told you. I'll let you know if I'm not okay' she barked, instantly regretting her tone of voice.

She watched him frown and tried again. 'I'm sorry…' she added, grabbing a hold of his arm and getting on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. 'I'm sorry… I know you're just worried but I'm fine, really.'

He gave her a forced smile and turned towards Neal who was busy slicing into the pan of brownies which had suddenly appeared on the kitchen counter.

The women stepped out onto the backyard deck as the men watched them leave, Neal bringing his hand to rest on Cameron's shoulder.

'Don't worry about it. It's just… hormones' Neal said. 'Believe me, I've been there… a few times.'

Cameron shrugged and gave his father-in-law a weak smile. 'I can't help myself. Every time she gets a twinge, I panic' he admitted.

Neal gave him a knowing look. 'When Sara was 37 weeks pregnant with Hope, she started having Braxton-Hicks contractions and I had to rush her to hospital' he explained with a wide grin. 'They had to treat me for hyperventilation when we got there, I was such a mess. It's normal, Cam. This is a very exciting time in your lives, everything is about to change… for the better.'

Cameron seemed to relax upon hearing the anecdote; Neal was right, nerves were driving his reactions and he needed to take it easy if he didn't want to drive his wife right around the bend. He glanced out the patio door, noticing Hope settled in a deck chair, a shawl around her shoulders and her big belly obvious even from a distance.

'Mom, he's driving me nuts' Hope confessed as she sat back and put her feet up. 'He watches me like a hawk. The other day, he followed me into the bathroom and stood there and watched me pee.'

Sara laughed; it all sounded so familiar. 'Oh, honey, he's just worried. He loves you and the baby and he wants to make sure you're both okay. This is scary for him too, you know.'

Hope shrugged; somewhere deep inside, she knew her mom was right but the truth was she was nervous and excited and not totally in control of her emotions and when Cam freaked out, it made her all the more anxious.

'Did I ever tell you what Daddy did when I was pregnant with Liam?' Sara asked as Hope frowned.

'Uncle Mozzie had given me a lead on a big recovery and I didn't want your dad to worry so I didn't tell him about it. But he found out and he started following me around town… in disguises. Hats, glasses, even a fake moustache' Sara recounted with a smirk. 'I didn't notice him for days and when I finally realized someone was following me, I went to Uncle Peter and asked for his help.'

Hope sat up, as much as her belly allowed, and leaned in to listen, amused.

'Well, Uncle Peter put one of his men on me just to keep me safe and when I showed up at the meet, your dad was dragged out of the shadows by one of the FBI probies and almost arrested for stalking me.'

Hope laughed good heartedly just as the men returned carrying coffee and a large plate of brownies.

Cameron leaned in to offer Hope one of the chocolate treats and she pulled him down by his shirt lapel, bringing her lips to his in a surprise move. 'Sorry I snapped at you, sweetie' she said as he smiled back.

She looked down at the plateful of brownies and instead of taking one, she reached for the plate, balancing it on her large belly as everyone broke out in laughter.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sara sat up in bed with Raffie curled up at her feet, waiting patiently with her notebook on her lap while Neal finished up on the phone.

'It's a date, then' she heard him say. 'I'll drive and you bring the junk food. All right… goodnight Peter!'

He put the phone down and looked over at his wife. 'You were right. He was thrilled' he said.

'Hope told me she had lunch with him today' Sara confided. 'She said he seemed at loose ends about being home all day.'

Neal nodded; he'd noticed the same thing. 'Do you think El knows how he's feeling about this forced retirement' he asked.

Sara shrugged. 'I don't know… I can try to bring it up when we get together next weekend' she offered. 'I just don't like sticking my nose in their business.'

Neal's eyes grew in response to her comment. 'Seriously? As if they've never stuck their noses in _our_ marriage' he reminded her with a naughty grin.

'I suppose…' Sara replied quietly.

The sound of the front door was heard in the distance, followed by footsteps - presumably Caitlin's as she headed up to the third floor bedroom she'd inherited after Hope had moved out. Raffie's ears perked up but he lay there listlessly as he realized it was just one of his humans coming home.

'Caitlin?' Sara called out as the footsteps grew nearer.

There was a soft knock on their bedroom door and the young woman peeked in to find her foster parents wide awake, sitting up in bed. If she had grown wiser with the years, she had also matured in appearance, no longer hiding behind those blond bangs she'd worn as a teenager. These days, Caitlin showed increasing poise and self-confidence - something she had been sorely lacking when she'd landed on the Caffreys' doorstep six years earlier.

'Did I wake you?' she asked timidly.

'No, we were just talking. Come on in' Sara said as she patted the bed beside her, inviting the young woman to take a seat.

The dog hopped off, making room for the newcomer and he found a spot at the foot of the bed, letting out a loud snort of contentment.

'So, how was your date?' Neal asked, noticing her rosy cheeks - embarrassment? excitement?

'Good' Caitlin said with a shy smile. 'Really good… Ben's a really nice guy…'

'Where did you guys go for dinner?' Sara asked.

'He took me to a little café right beside the Cactus Gallery. You should have seen the exhibit, Mr. C. It was amazing - Inuit art, lots of sculptures.'

Neal watched her face as it became animated; she'd come such a long way and her growing appreciation for beautiful art was a joy to witness.

'By the way, I saw your painting down in the studio' he said. 'Well done, honey!'

'Yeah?' she asked with a tentative smile. 'I'm having a little bit of trouble with the skyline.'

'No, it looks good… but if you want, I can take a closer look - maybe we can work on shading a little bit.'

'That'd be great' Caitlin said, nodding. 'Well, I better get to bed, I've got to get up early in the morning to work on an assignment. Goodnight Sara' she said, leaning in to kiss her foster mom.

'Goodnight Mr. C.' she called out as she leaned down to pat Raffie's head. 'Come on, boy' she said as the dog dragged himself up off the floor and followed her out the door.

'Goodnight sweetie' Sara said as they watched her leave. They gave each other a knowing look; it was nice to see Caitlin so focussed and content. Before long, she would leave the nest and they would be left to their own devices, rattling around their big, empty house.

Sara suddenly remembered something and she turned to grab a sheet of paper from her bedside table. 'I almost forgot' she said, her eyes bright and full of excitement. 'Look at what Hope made for us? For the invite.'

Neal took the sample from Sara's hand and let out an admiring whistle. 'Wow! I love it' he said as he admired the intricate design their talented daughter had come up with. 'This is great. How long will it take to get these printed up?'

'Twenty-four hours, apparently. Now that we've got the date nailed down, she said she'd take care of everything.'

Neal returned the sheet of paper to Sara's side of the bed, reaching over his wife and taking full advantage of the situation to slide his arm around her hips, his face landing between her breasts and lingering there with a satisfied moan.

'Caffrey!' she scolded, unamused. 'I'm serious. Stay focussed. We have to get this list done tonight. We need to get those invitations out ASAP.'

'Fine' Neal relented, leaving his arm wrapped around her but moving his face away and laying his head on her shoulder.

'Well, for starters, the kids, Cam and Cody, Moz, Peter and Elizabeth, Christie and Diana and their girls, Jones and Ivy and the kids' he began, rhyming off names.

'Slow down honey, I can't write that fast' Sara complained before continuing. 'Then there's Emily, Lydia and Sam and the girls, Jeff and Donna and Olivia and her fiancé - what's his name again?' she asked as she continued to scribble madly.

'Brad? Brent?' Neal attempted as his memory failed him.

'Brett! That's it' Sara mumbled as she jotted down the name '…and Cam's folks, of course and Mike and Mindy Miller.'

'Oh, and Scott and Moira and their four girls. By the way, you'll never guess what…' Neal said, not giving Sara a chance to respond. 'Moira's pregnant again.'

'What?' Sara replied, her mouth hanging open. 'Again!'

'Scott says it was an oops baby but they're hoping for a boy this time' Neal explained.

'Poor Scott… living in a house with five women' Sara commented. 'How old is she anyway? She can't keep popping babies out forever.'

Neal frowned as he did some mental math. 'She's got to be close to 45 by now.'

'Oh, my God' Sara said. 'Maybe you'll have to have the _vasectomy talk_ with Scott.'

Neal groaned. 'I'm not touching that subject with a ten foot pole.'

Sara glanced down at the list. 'I was thinking of inviting Dr. Cooper, what do you think?' she mused as Neal nodded.

'Good idea. And Marion Birch' Neal added. 'Oh and Cindy and her husband and Marion and Lorna if they can make it' he said, thinking of June's family.

'You know who we haven't seen in a while' Sara asked rhetorically. 'Ginette and Ken Murphy.'

'You're right, I would love to see them again. Do you think they'd come all the way from Ohio?' Neal asked not bothering to wait for an answer. 'And I'd really like to invite Scott Connor and his wife' he said, thinking of his sponsor. '… and Jim McDougall.'

The mention of Neal's addiction counsellor, the man who had supported Neal throughout his recovery, conjured up some uneasy memories for Sara. Before Hope's wedding, Neal and Jim had discussed the risks and advantages of Neal resuming social drinking and Jim had supported Neal's decision to have a drink at Hope and Cam's wedding reception. Neal had toasted the bride and groom with a glass of champagne but he'd panicked, terrified he might fall back on his old crutch, and he'd left his glass unfinished. He hadn't had a drink since.

'Are you going to have some champagne at our wedding?' Sara asked, looking straight into her husband's baby blues.

He took a deep breath and shrugged. 'I don't know. I… I want to discuss with Jim first' he admitted, pulling his eyes away from her prying gaze.

Sara let out an audible sigh as her eyes returned to the list sitting on her lap. 'This list is getting really long' she commented. 'And I'm sure we're forgetting people.'

'I was thinking…' Neal said, unsure of how his wife would react to his suggestion. 'How would you feel about me asking Moz to officiate. Remember how upset he was when we wouldn't let him do it the first time around?'

Sara thought for a second and nodded. 'I think that's a great idea, honey. He _is_ legit… well as legit as Mozzie _can_ be and anyway, we're already legally married so what harm can it do. It's not like he can 'unmarry' us... can he?'

Neal settled back on his pillow with a satisfied grin. Mozzie would be thrilled to be included in that way. 'What about if we did it here?' he suggested.

'Here? That's an awful lot of people, Neal.'

'We've had big parties before' Neal reminded her. 'It's not a sit-down meal. We could set up in the backyard for the ceremony. There's plenty of room… between the backyard and the house.'

He watched Sara's face as she considered his proposal. 'There's something about celebrating in the place where we've lived for the past twenty-four years, where we raised our kids and where we made all our memories… ' Neal let his voice trail, growing nostalgic.

Their modest house on Meadowbrook Street was chock full of memories, most of them happy ones although, like every couple, they'd had their share of hardships over the years. It seemed fitting that they celebrate their wedding anniversary in the place where they'd lived each and every day, as a family.

Sara grew quiet. 'But if we do it here, you're not doing any of the food preparation, you hear me? It's our special day, Neal' she warned, wagging her finger menacingly in his face.

'Agreed' he said as he grabbed her finger and brought it to his mouth, pretending to take a bite. 'Come on, babe. Lights out' he added suggestively as he moved in for a cuddle.

She seemed to be warming to his suggestion and she put the pad and pencil down on the bedside table, turning to face him.

'What? You think you still got some moves there, grampa?' she teased.

He grabbed her hips, pulling her down on the bed and kissing her hard, taking her breath away. 'Grampa?' he growled. 'I'll show you grampa…'

WCWCWC

Sara sat in the outer office of Winston Bosch's executive suite waiting patiently to be called in to meet with her boss. She wasn't sure what to expect; sure, her boss had always been complimentary when it came to her work performance but over the past year, the company had paid out tens of millions of dollars on some of their richest clients' insurance policies and somehow, she felt partially responsible for the payouts.

Sara had a top-notch team of investigators working day and night for her, prepared to go the extra mile whether it was late-night stakeouts, dumpster diving or just about anything else that needed doing to uncover the truth. Insurance recovery was a nasty business and it wasn't unheard of for clients to try to play the system so they could cash in on their insurance policy.

She was escorted in by Mr. Bosch's perky assistant and she took a seat across from the man himself who sat, hands clasped as he waited for her to settle in.

'Sara, thanks for coming' he began as she sat up straight in her chair, hands poised on her lap.

The man could certainly be intimidating. She'd seen him chewing people out countless times over the years and she was thankful he'd never directed his ire at her but now, she wondered if her number was up.

'I read your weekly report' he said, holding up the typed pages she submitted once a week which outlined the status of the cases that had been entrusted to her team. 'I see we still haven't had any luck locating Mrs. Matthew's brooch.'

Sara took a deep breath. 'Sir, we had a lead but… well, it fell through.'

He nodded, his face remaining serious. 'These payouts have really started to hurt' he admitted. 'The Board is none too pleased and they're putting a lot of pressure on me to deliver.'

'I understand, sir. I —'

Winston Bosch raised his hand, urging her to stop talking. 'Last week, I received this in the mail' he said, throwing an envelope on the desk in her direction.

Sara reached for it and her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the single typewritten sheet of paper inside.

 _Is it hurting yet Bosch?_ it read followed by the growing list of items which had disappeared and had yet to be recovered. Alongside each item was a date, ostensibly the moment when the company would run out of time and have to pay out the claim to the client.

'Someone's out to destroy this company - or at least, destroy me. If our bottom line doesn't improve soon, it's just a matter of time before I'm out on my ass' he said, rather uncharacteristically crudely.

Sara nodded in understanding; it wasn't often she saw her boss' vulnerable side - as a matter of fact, she'd _never_ seen it in the thirty odd years she'd worked for the insurance company.

'How can I help?' she asked, assuming that was why he'd summoned her there in the first place.

'I need you to look into this… off book. Somebody out there is out to get me… or the company. But I suspect this is directed at me' he said soberly.

'So you think this is some sort of vendetta?' she asked, intrigued.

He nodded. 'I've made a lot of enemies over the years both personal and professional' he admitted. 'You don't run a company like Sterling Bosch without ruffling a few feathers.'

'I can put my people on it —' she began as Bosch interrupted.

'No' he said firmly. 'You don't understand. Whoever's doing this has access to the list of our most elite clients and the value of the payoff for the most valuable items we insure. There _could_ be a mole inside the organization.'

Sara's eyes grew in surprise. She trusted the people on her team and she always carried out very thorough vetting before hiring. She rarely made mistakes but she had to admit that even she could be misled by someone wishing to take advantage of their position within the company. She thought back to Joe Meyers, an intern she'd hired about eight years before. He'd provided intel to a couple of thieves who had broken into Sterling Bosch's recovery room and had almost gotten away with some valuable recovered items.

'You think this could be the work of a disgruntled employee?' she asked.

He shrugged. 'You know as much as I do that we've had some pretty nasty terminations over the years.'

'What about a personal vendetta?' she deigned to ask.

'It's possible' he said and the tone of his voice led Sara to believe there where some skeletons in her boss' closet. Did she really want to know?

There was silence for a moment as Sara thought of the possibilities.

'I want you to get to the bottom of this, Sara' he said unequivocally.

'Yes sir' she said, preparing to stand. She needed to digest all this information before she formulated a plan of action. 'Let me think about how to go about it and I'll get back to you.'

She stood and Winston Bosch raised his hand. 'I don't need to remind you that this is highly confidential' he said, his voice stern. 'But there is one more thing. I was hoping you could enlist your husband's help with this.'

'Neal?' Sara said with a look of total surprise.

'He has a lot of contacts that might be helpful with… research' he said cagily. 'Do you think he'd do it? I would certainly make it worth his while.'

Sara became tongue-tied. Neal had been a fine upstanding citizen for over twenty years but there was no denying his past as a confidence man and world-renowned forger. Her boss knew of his reputation and yet…

Winston Bosch noticed the look of shock on his face. 'I'm well aware of Mr. Caffrey's past but I also trust you implicitly - and if you trust him, then I do too. I really need this kept to a very small circle.'

Sara nodded, still in shock. 'I'll… talk to him and see if he has time to work on this with me.'

'Thank you' Bosch said, standing. 'I appreciate your loyalty, Sara.'

She smiled and reached for the envelope. 'May I?'

'That's the only copy I've made. You can keep it' he replied.

'I'll be in touch' she said cryptically as she stepped out of her boss' office.

Once back in her office, Sara let out a long, slow breath and reached down to place the envelope in the locked drawer of her desk, pocketing the key.

WCWCWC

'Hey Mom! How's everything?' Liam's voice said over the phone.

'Honey, hi! Is anything wrong?' Sara responded as she stood at the kitchen counter, preparing a salad for her and Neal's dinner.

'No… of course not' he said with a nervous laugh - but she didn't buy it.

Normally, they communicated by text, with the odd message on Twitter if they were both on at the same time but Liam rarely called home unless he wanted to ask his parents something — or if there was some sort of problem.

'How are you doing with your exam prep?' she asked, on a fishing expedition.

'It's going well but we've got a lot of practices and that's taking up most of my time' he admitted.

'Honey, your dad and your uncle Peter are going up this weekend to see your game' she said as Neal strolled back into the kitchen.

'Liam?' he mouthed as she nodded.

'That's great Mom. Is… is he around?' he asked, suspiciously.

'Yeah, yeah, he's right here. Just a minute, sweetie. I'll see you in a couple of weeks, okay? I love you' she said, handing the phone to Neal with a shrug.

'Hey buddy!' Neal called out as he took a seat at the kitchen table. 'How's it going?'

'Hey Dad! Mom says you're coming up this weekend.'

'Yeah' Neal said, giving Sara a dirty look. 'I was hoping to surprise you but…'

Liam chuckled at the other end. 'That's okay. Now, I can look forward to seeing you all week.'

'Did you and Cody have a nice weekend?' Neal asked.

'Yeah, he had to leave on Saturday though, 'cause it was his mom's birthday but it was nice to have him here' Liam admitted.

'So what can I do for you, buddy?' Neal asked, his spidey senses tingling.

'Is Mom still there?' the young man asked.

Neal grew silent; he could feel Sara's eyes boring into the back of his head, listening to every word he was saying.

His dad's silence spoke volumes and Liam spoke up. 'Actually Dad, since you're coming up this weekend anyway…' he said, his voice slowing. '…we could talk while you're here…'

Neal frowned; clearly, something was up but it was obvious Liam wasn't going to open up about it when his mom was within earshot. He was notoriously protective of her, a sentiment Neal was definitely on board with.

'Sure' he said, giving Sara a furtive glance and deciding on a course of action to throw her off the scent. 'I can bring those up for you.'

Liam nodded; his dad had always been really good at deciphering his shorthand.

'Thanks Dad. And try not to worry. I'm not in any trouble… I just need your advice about something.'

'All right!' Neal said cheerfully. 'And I want to take you out for dinner at that great Italian place while we're there.'

'Sounds good, Dad. See you then' Liam said before hanging up.

Liam set the phone down and looked down at the sheet of paper he held in his shaking hands. The note had appeared in one of his textbooks and it had shaken him to the core.

 _'Get out of town you fairy. We don't need no pansies on the basketball team'_

WCWCWC

'So, what was that all about?' Sara asked as Neal leaned in to sneak an artichoke from the salad she was preparing.

'Nothing' Neal sad, his voice even. 'He just wants me to bring up those grey sneakers of his when I go up this weekend.'

Sara gave him a look of pure skepticism. 'Nice try, Caffrey. He didn't even know you were going up when he called.'

Neal deflected with a kiss to her neck, usually a winning move but Sara couldn't be deterred and she pulled away to look at him.

'He was calling to ask us to send them up with Cody' Neal lied with a shrug.

'Right…' Sara said, still not buying it. 'Is this about our anniversary?'

Neal gave her a wicked smile. 'Don't ask so many questions' he murmured, this time with a winning deflection.

Her face brightened up. Mission accomplished.

'So, are we on our own for dinner tonight?' he asked.

'Yeah, Caitlin's got a class' she replied. 'But you better hold on to your hat, Caffrey. You're not going to believe the hot topic of conversation I'm serving up with that salad.'

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Neal poked mindlessly at a slippery cherry tomato while Sara finished recounting what had happened in her boss' office that morning. He'd been listening intently for the past twenty minutes, shocked at the events that had led Winston Bosch to confide in his top insurance investigator.

'And he wants _me_ to help with the investigation?' Neal asked, perplexed.

'Asked for you by name' she said, spearing a piece of chicken and popping it in her mouth.

'But… didn't you set him straight? If he's counting on me to be well connected to what's going on in the underworld… well, I haven't been well connected in a long time.'

'I don't think that's what he meant when he said that you had lots of contacts that might be helpful with research.'

Neal frowned. 'I don't follow…' he said.

'I think he was referring to your contacts with the FBI and your connection to Peter.'

'Oh, yeah?'

Sara nodded. 'Besides, he doesn't know it, but you could certainly find out what might be floating around out there through Mozzie.'

'If we do this…' Neal began, hesitant, '…your boss is going to have to come clean about who he might have fallen out with in the past. Do you think he's ready to do that?'

'I got the feeling he was ready to do just about anything to find out who's behind this. It's gotten personal for him… and I get the distinct impression he knows a lot more than he's saying.'

Neal stood and carried his plate over to the sink, rinsing it and turning to look at his wife.

'The kind of coordinated thefts you're talking about…' he reflected, '…that takes a lot of planning and… a lot of cash.'

'I agree. This person might not be carrying out the thefts himself but he would need resources to hire people who are good enough to get away with it.'

Neal stood by the sink, leaning back against the kitchen counter, his mind clicking away.

'This list' he said picking up the sheet of paper Winston Bosch had given Sara, 'How often does it get updated?'

Sara thought for a moment before answering. 'About once a year.'

'So this person would have had to have gotten his hands on it in the past few months.'

'I suppose' Sara said, rising to join him.

He sidled up to her, giving her a playful nudge with his hip. 'You and me… working together' he declared with an impish grin. 'Could be fun.'

Sara wagged her eyebrows. 'Think you could learn to follow orders for a change, Caffrey?' she asked.

Neal wrapped his arms around her, jostling her. 'I've been following orders for twenty-five years, ma'am' he teased.

'Hahaha, you're so funny' Sara said, mocking him.

Neal's lips moved in to kiss her. 'Caffrey and Ellis…' he murmured. 'It has a nice ring to it, don't you think.'

She pulled back to look into his eyes, clearing her throat. 'You mean Ellis and Caffrey.'

'Whatever…' Neal responded, trying to act nonchalant.

Sara returned her mouth to his, humming with pleasure but Neal seemed distracted and he pulled away.

' _Ellis and Caffrey_ sounds like a chartered accountant firm' he said with disdain. 'But _Caffrey and Ellis_ … now that sounds… I don't know… glamorous, sophisticated.'

Sara glared at him, unamused and unconvinced.

'Just sayin'…' he added with a shrug. 'If you wanted to go that way…'

Sara shook her head, her bright green eyes sparkling with mischief. 'Nice try, Caffrey.'

WCWCWC

Neal lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. It had been about an hour since Sara's regular breathing had morphed into soft snores and his mind was still reeling, depriving him of needed sleep. He couldn't get his brief conversation with Liam out of his mind. His son was a very easygoing person - not much got to him, and even if it did, he was good at keeping himself in check. Unlike Hope, who was expressive and high-spirited, Liam was quiet and introspective. Whatever it was he needed to talk to his dad about had been important enough for him to pick up the phone and call home on a Monday afternoon - and that was no small thing.

Despite Liam's reassurance that their discussion could wait until the coming weekend, there was no way Neal was going to wait that long to find out what was going on in his son's mind. He resolved to call him the minute he got into the office the next morning - if need be, he would willingly jump in the car and drive the four hours upstate to Syracuse without a second thought.

He glanced over at his wife, facing him, all curled up on her side, the moonlight reflecting off her coppery-brown head of hair. He smiled to himself and gently brushed away a wayward strand covering her face - her hair had been dozens of different shades of red over the years ranging from copper-blond to dark auburn and he'd loved them all. These days, she was wearing her hair shorter - about shoulder length - in a stylish bob with less of the flowing curls she'd favoured in her youth. At the age of 56, she was fit and trim and she still had those amazing legs which, when perched on top of her signature four inch heels, seemed to linger all the way up to her neck. He still hungered for her just as much as he always had. The sound of her voice, tinged with playful laughter, was enough to get him so worked up, he was unable to concentrate on anything but the movement of her lips as she spoke and the naughty glimmer in her bright green eyes.

Over the years, she had grown effortlessly into her role as a mom, something she'd been so apprehensive about in the early years. Throughout Neal's relationship with Caitlin, Sara had acted as a stabilizing force as he struggled with relating to the young woman who, in many ways, was a reflection of himself. As much as he aspired to be an inspiration for Caitlin, Neal had had difficulty separating his own experience as a youth from what she was going through and Sara had acted as an effective buffer between the two souls who were so very much alike.

Twenty-five years… in some ways, it felt like yesterday - Sara finding out with consternation that she was pregnant and Neal making the commitment to be there for her and the baby. Like every couple, they'd had their ups and downs, their share of disagreements, quarrels, even a couple of short estrangements over the years. But the joy and the laughter far outweighed the hard times and Neal had never had any doubt that they would always be together until sadly, one of them, left this world.

He turned to face her in the bed, watching her chest rise and fall regularly as she slept. He couldn't wait to pledge his undying love for her, a tangible way of showing her that his life had no meaning without her. He'd almost thrown it away a few times over the years, more recently as he'd coped with the aftermath of Hope's horrific accident. His nagging guilt had led him down a very dark and dangerous path and he'd come close to throwing it all away - his family, his job, his friends. By the grace of God, he'd managed to step away from the abyss and he would always be grateful to her for not giving up on him.

Sara snorted, startling him and she turned in bed to face away from him. He let out a deep sigh and curled up behind her, nuzzling her hair as she murmured something soft and incomprehensible that he liked to think was his name. He melted against her warm, pliant body, praying that, even in her dreams, her thoughts were of him and the wonderful life they shared.

WCWCWC

Neal drove to the coffee shop where he and Hope had agreed to meet and, to his surprise, he found Doris Day parking right in front of the small café. Hope was already settled at a table when he stepped in and he watched her struggle to get on her feet.

'Sit, sit honey. Don't get up' he chastised, alas too late.

'Hey Daddy' she said, hugging him warmly. 'I'm damn well going to get up while I still can.'

Neal chuckled at her no-nonsense attitude, so like her mom, and he took a moment to contemplate the amazing young woman before him. It still hit him every once in a while - the fact that she was all grown up and about to have a baby of her own. Where had the years gone?

'You look great!' he commented as he took a seat across from her.

'You always say that, Dad!' she replied, her face glowing.

'That's because it's always true' he responded, without missing a beat.

'Sure… if you like beached whales' she answered, her mordant sense of humour intact. She pulled a small bag out from underneath the table and set it on top. 'Here, I picked up the invitations for you and Mom at the printers.'

Neal opened the tidy package and pulled out a copy of the beautifully engraved invitation she had designed. It looked even better on the pale magenta card stock they had chosen for the occasion and he smiled wistfully as he re-read it.

'I love these, honey. Thank you' he said as he examined it. 'Your mom insisted that we send these out by snail mail… I guess she has a point. An evite just would't cut it for something like this.'

'I agree' Hope replied. 'I love doing things old school.'

'Oh, I almost forgot' she added, pulling out a document from her handbag. 'Here's the financial statement for March - profits are up - again.'

Neal glanced down at the report with the name of the firm they'd been forced to hire after Peter had retired and his heart grew heavy.

'Thanks' he said, setting it aside. 'Have you talked to your brother lately?' he asked, hoping she might have some insight into what was weighing on Liam's mind.

She grabbed for her phone, glancing down at it. 'We texted on Sunday. He sounded a bit disappointed that Cody couldn't stay for the whole weekend. What about you?'

Neal shook his head. 'No, I… I left him a message this morning.'

'He has a class on Tuesday mornings' she reminded him. Those two had always been joined at the hip - even more so as they'd gotten older.

Neal nodded and Hope caught something in his gaze. 'Is there anything wrong?' she asked.

'No, no. I just… I wanted to talk to him, that's all. Uncle Peter and I are going to drive up this weekend to see his game.'

'That's nice. I'm sure he'll welcome the distraction' she said as Neal frowned. 'I mean Uncle Peter' she clarified.

'I wish I had more time to spend with him but it's so busy at the school' Neal admitted. 'He seems a little lost these days.'

'I was telling Mom that I had lunch with him on Saturday and he looked like a lost little puppy' she confided. 'Dad, I don't think this retirement thing is doing it for him.'

Neal scoffed. 'I tend to agree but… I'm not sure it's any of our business.'

'Isn't it? You've always taught us to speak up when we think something's not right. He's your best friend, Dad, and I think he's made a terrible mistake.'

'Honey, your aunt Elizabeth is… well, she's a force to be reckoned with and I'm not sure she'd react very well to us meddling in their marriage' Neal said, trying to convince himself - considering he was contradicting what he'd said to Sara two nights before.

'I don't think she realizes how he feels about it' Hope remarked. 'Knowing _him_ , he's probably putting on a brave face and for all she knows, he's thrilled to be home 24/7 changing light bulbs and looking up word definitions.'

'Just… tread lightly, okay?' Neal admonished. There was little doubt Hope was going to bring it up with her godmother. Like her mom, if she got something in her head, nothing could stop her.

Hope glared at him. 'If there's one thing I'm learning it's that when you're pregnant, you can get away with saying pretty much anything. People will chalk it up to you feeling miserable, or better yet, hormones.'

'You little sneak' Neal said lovingly. 'That's it, no more free passes from me.'

'Daddy' she cooed, reaching out to touch his hand. 'If you only knew… you're my easiest mark!'

WCWCWC

'Well, I got you a meeting with Mr. Bosch on Friday morning' Sara declared as the couple sat down to dinner.

Neal looked up from his plate, frowning. 'What? Aren't you coming with me?'

'You… want me to come with you?' she asked, surprised.

'Yeah, you know Caffrey and Ellis…' he began as she shook her head. 'I mean Ellis and Caffrey. We're a team. I think we both need to hear what he has to say firsthand, don't you?'

'I guess…' Sara said, taking a bite of her quiche. 'If that's what you want, I'll free up my schedule. By the way, when are your leaving for Syracuse?'

'I thought I'd duck out of work early and head up Friday afternoon so I can have all day Saturday with Liam. I'm taking him out to that Italian place for dinner before his game.'

'Caruso's?' Sara asked.

'Caruso's! That's it!' Neal said as the little light went on. 'I couldn't remember the name of the place… Peter is going to visit with his sister in Watertown for a few hours so Liam and I can spend some time together.'

He watched her face carefully as he spoke their son's name, looking for any reaction on her part. She obviously didn't have a clue what was on Liam's mind - nor did Neal, for that matter. Liam had texted after Neal's three failed attempts at reaching him, saying he'd been too busy to call back and insisting that he was fine and looking forward to the weekend. Neal knew better and he was chomping at the bit to come face to face with him and get to the bottom of what was going on.

Sara brought her hand to rest on the pile of invitations sitting next to her on the table. 'Ready to tackle these tonight?' she asked.

'You bet. I was thinking… we should probably invite Myrtle and Charlie' Neal said, speaking of their next door neighbours. 'Keep her from having to peek through the hedge to see what's going on.'

Sara chuckled. 'Great idea!' she said.

WCWCWC

Liam sat in his dorm room, staring at his computer screen. This was the third message he'd gotten within a week, escalating from rude and annoying to what he now considered to be downright threatening. Whoever was doing this was taking pleasure in trying to frighten him and he had to admit to more and more trepidation as time passed.

Josh Monteith looked over his shoulder, glancing at the screen. 'Liam, you have to report this' he said as he began to pace. 'That's a threat.'

Josh had been the first person Liam had met upon arriving at Syracuse University two years earlier. They'd been paired up randomly and assigned a dorm room to share and they had immediately hit it off, becoming close friends and confidants. Josh was from Detroit where he'd lived his whole life and he'd welcomed the opportunity to move to another city and play basketball, a passion the two young men shared. Within weeks of moving in, Liam had come clean about his sexual orientation, and Josh hadn't even batted an eye following Liam's confession. Turned out his brother was gay and had recently married his longtime boyfriend back home and Josh had been their proud best man.

Liam and Josh had bonded over time and Josh had had his roomie's back on a couple of occasions when some stupid, homophobic jokes had been exchanged in the locker room. These days, although Liam's sexual orientation was a not-so-well kept secret on the team, nobody ever commented on it and he had settled in comfortably, not giving it much thought - until now.

Not that he had reason to think the threatening messages were emanating from a member of the team - although recently, Liam had been named captain to the chagrin of a few jealous types. He'd found himself glancing suspiciously around the change room at their last practice, wondering if the coward was in their midst. Of course, it could be just about anyone on campus - a fellow classmate or someone from the chess team which Liam had recently joined.

'At least, ask for a meeting with your academic counsellor and let her know what's going on' Josh continued as Liam reread the last e-mail. 'I'm sure they could track down who's sending these.'

Liam glanced at the address - not a university address like the one they'd all been given upon arrival but a private hotmail address. It could be just about anybody… anywhere.

'I want to talk to my dad about it first' Liam said, recalling a couple of unfortunate incidents in high school. There was a fine line between denouncing someone and perhaps, escalating things or just taking the high road and forging ahead.

'If I get my hands on him…' Josh began, seething.

Liam laughed, hoping to bring the drama down a notch. 'I can defend myself, Josh. But thanks anyway.'

'Did you mention it to Cody?' the young man asked.

'No, not yet… I don't want to worry him.'

Josh walked over to his bed and sat on the edge. As a member of the student/faculty advisory committee, he was used to fighting injustices and he'd learned to speak up when students weren't getting a fair shake.

'Promise me…' Liam said. 'Don't do anything without talking to me first. I don't want to create a national incident. The playoffs are right around the corner.'

Josh nodded reluctantly. 'Promise' he said.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Neal stepped onto the elevator at the Manhattan offices of Sterling Bosch and headed up to the 31st floor to collect his wife on the way to their meeting with Winston Bosch. It was exciting to be working together again after all this time. Although their professional lives had intersected on a few occasions over the years, they hadn't actually worked together on a case for more years than he could remember.

Back when he'd been a CI, the two of them had collaborated on several cases, notably the Covington and Halbridge cases and Neal thought back to the persistent butterflies he would get whenever he sat next to the beautiful redhead in the FBI's conference room. He recalled struggling to focus as their knees accidentally bumped against each other under the table, the discreet scent of Sara's perfume permeating the air. He would try to look calm, cool and collected, exchanging witty comebacks and trying to appear unflappable when in reality, he was anything but. The mere sound of Sara's voice and the proximity of her warm body had been constant distractions as he'd fought his attraction to her, fully expecting that the attractive insurance investigator who'd chased him for so long would never see him as anything more than a con artist, a thief, a hustler.

He tugged at his Hugo Boss microdot tie, the one Sara had suggested he wear that morning and he grinned as he recalled her fiddling with it, frowning earnestly as she tried to straighten it and melting into giggles as he'd moved in to distract her. Preparing to renew their wedding vows had injected new excitement and playfulness into their marriage and he'd been enjoying the hoopla surrounding the celebration. Truth was, he was looking forward to re-affirming his love and devotion in front of their family and friends and showing Sara just how much she meant to him.

The elevator door opened and Neal was surprised to find his wife standing there, waiting. 'I thought I was picking you up at your office' he said, stepping aside to make room for her.

'I was anxious to get going and besides I have a 10:30 conference call with London that I need to get back for' she said, her tone detached and professional. She pressed the button for the 38th floor, where the executive offices were located, and slipped in next to him, the two of them alone in the elevator car.

Neal pressed his hand to the curve of her back and glanced at her fondly.

'Hands off and eyes straight ahead, Casanova' she warned with a playful grin. She was wearing her 'work armor' and he knew better than to mess with her when she was busy being a badass insurance investigator. He felt a flutter of excitement in the pit of his stomach and moved his hand to rest by his side, staring straight ahead as the elevator ascended to the 37th floor.

'Yes ma'am' he said, knowing full well how that particular appellation always got her riled up.

The doors opened and they stepped out, Sara preceding Neal as they made their way to the executive suites. To their surprise, they were immediately greeted and ushered into Mr. Bosch's office.

'Thank you Becky' the man said as his young assistant placed a tray of coffee on the large oak desk.

Sara smiled at the pretty young woman she knew by sight; she was smartly dressed and Sara's eyes settled on her beautiful Louboutins, a style she recognized as brand new this season and regrettably, absent from her closet. She made a mental note to check for them the next time she was out shopping.

The young woman nodded and stepped out, leaving the three of them alone and Winston Bosch got to his feet, his hand outstretched.

'Mr. Caffrey' he said. 'Thanks for taking the time to come meet with me.'

Neal had met the man on several occasions, most recently at Sterling Bosch's Christmas party the year before but he couldn't help but notice how he'd aged since then. The older man's shoulders drooped forward, his skin looked sallow and grey, and his eyes seemed lifeless. Whether it was the present situation or some other issue that was nagging away at him, he was definitely preoccupied with something.

'Sir, Ms Ellis tells me you'd like some help finding out who's behind those recent thefts' Neal said - if Sara wanted him to keep things professional, he could play it that way.

Sara gave him a sideways glance, amused at the little game he was playing.

Winston Bosch nodded. 'That list that was sent to me…' he began. 'It was updated last November.'

'And you think whoever sent it might have been in your employ at that time?' Neal asked.

'That or I've got a mole in the organization who's feeding someone the information' the man said, just as he'd explained to Sara. 'That's why I would appreciate your help in getting to the bottom of it. Have you looked at my proposal for retaining your services?'

'I have' Neal said. 'And what you propose is more than acceptable. I need to reiterate that I do have other commitments. Sa— Ms. Ellis has surely mentioned that I run a school of art and although I can free up some time to work on this, I do need to fulfill my work responsibilities' Neal explained.

'Understood, Mr. Caffrey. But time is of the essence. We don't know when this… person will strike again. As I've outlined in my proposal, you'll report directly to Ms Ellis.'

'Of course' Neal said with a sly smile. It wasn't the first time he'd had to report to Sara; he'd done it on the Stradivarius case and one could argue he'd been doing it everyday of their married life.

'But I may require some additional assistance' Neal added, leaning forward in his chair. 'As you know, I was employed by the FBI's White Collar Unit for a number of years' Neal reminded him. 'I still have contacts at the Bureau and I believe they might be of help in accessing the kind of information we might require in order to get to the bottom of this. I'd like your permission to bring in my ex-boss, Peter Burke, to help me with this.'

The older man looked thoughtful, obviously taken by surprise.

'Agent Burke has since retired from the FBI' Neal clarified. 'But between the two of us, I believe we can work our contacts and that that would help… expedite things.'

'Can you guarantee his discretion?' Mr. Bosch said, hesitant.

'I can sir, and I believe it is to our advantage to get all the help we can in order to get to the bottom of this.'

Winston Bosch nodded slowly. 'Fine. No one else. I don't want the word getting out that our financial situation is precarious' he finally said.

Neal gave his wife a sideways glance; somehow, he didn't believe the company's reputation was what had him so rattled. As Sara had said, this was personal and the man didn't want anything tainting his legacy so close to retirement.

'Sir' Sara intervened, eager to get to the nitty gritty. 'You mentioned you would provide me with a list of all terminations over the past three years.'

The man reached into his desk and pulled out an envelope which he handed over to Sara as Neal gave them both a look of apprehension.

'Hon—' he began, stopping suddenly. 'Ms Ellis, with all due respect, I think we should go back a little further than three years. Grudges can stew for years and years and… I'd like to suggest we go back ten years.'

Sara nodded. 'Point taken' she conceded.

Mr. Bosh looked on, with interest. It looked like the ex-con was already earning his stipend. 'I'll get that to you by early next week' he said soberly.

'Mr. Bosch' Neal began tentatively, broaching the sensitive subject he'd been putting off tackling. 'That leaves any type of personal vendetta. Can you think of anyone who might be harboring a grudge against you personally and might use this as a way to retaliate?'

Winston Bosch looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the question, although surely not surprised that it had been asked. He didn't relish opening up his past to one of his employees, even a trusted one like Sara Ellis, and yet he knew that avenue had to be fully explored.

He took a deep breath, seemingly looking for the right words. 'About five years ago' he began, his voice quiet. 'I convinced an old friend of mine to invest heavily in my son-in-law's new high tech company. They had just gotten the patent for a brand new personal communication device and it looked promising. We both got in on the ground floor and he invested all his savings on my say-so. The stock value increased ten-fold in the first few months and things were going swimmingly and then…' he stopped and cleared his throat.

'Then… my son-in-law tipped me off that there had been a major flaw in their testing and the whole thing was about to come crashing down so… I pulled out everything I'd invested and I make a killing but I was sworn to secrecy. Hell, it was an illegal tip but I took full advantage of it. If I whispered a word to anyone, they'd have me and my son-in-law on insider trading so I kept quiet. My friend lost millions and he swore he'd get revenge somehow.'

He looked up at Neal and Sara, his face pale. 'He'd been the best man at my first wedding forty-five years ago. But…well, we never spoke again after that.'

Neal and Sara listened, taking no pleasure in watching the man squirm. Everybody had regrets and sometimes the past came back to bite you in the ass as Neal knew all too well.

'We'll require the particulars' Neal said as the man nodded.

'Anything else you can think of?' Sara asked.

The man seemed to avoid her gaze but he recuperated quickly, looking her in the eye. 'Nothing I can think of' he said.

Neal and Sara prepared to leave and the man stood to walk them to the door. 'I'd appreciate a twice weekly report unless something major comes up, in which case, just make an appointment to see me' he said to Sara.

'Yes sir' she said with a nod.

Neal shook hands with the man and the two investigators stepped out, intent on resolving the mystery at hand.

WCWCWC

Rebecca Hastings sat at her desk, munching on a sad looking salad. Her boss didn't like her leaving the office for lunch, in case he needed her for something. She glanced at the big oak door leading to his office and grabbed for her cell phone, eyes trained on the door.

'Something's up' she said cryptically.

'I don't know but Sara Ellis was in his office again and this time her husband was with her' she said, whispering.

'Of course it's him. Everybody knows she's married to Neal Caffrey, the ex-con.'

A shuffling sound came from behind the door and she panicked. 'Gotta go' she said before hanging up precipitously.

'Becky' her boss' voice came through the door. 'I need you in here.'

'Yes sir' she said, scrambling to get to her feet.

WCWCWC

Neal and Sara rode down in the elevator in silence, both pondering the information they'd just heard. When the elevator stopped on the 31st floor, Neal prepared to say goodbye to his wife but Sara spoke first, hand on his arm.

'Can I see you in my office before you leave?' she asked earnestly.

'Of course' Neal said with a polite smile.

Once her office door was closed behind them, Sara looked at her husband, her face serious. 'So, what do you think?'

'I think there's a lot at stake here for your boss' he replied. 'And I _don't_ think he's telling us everything… yet.'

Sara nodded in agreement, she felt the same way. 'If anyone can get to the bottom of it, you can' she replied.

She stepped around Neal, ostensibly to take a seat behind her desk but she stopped suddenly, standing behind him as a naughty smile appeared on her lips. Neal felt her familiar hands on his shoulders, then the small of his back and finally moving down to cup his butt cheeks and he let out a surprised gasp as she squeezed firmly.

He turned to face her, noticing how the serious mask she'd been wearing all morning had melted into a mischievous grin.

'Ms. Ellis' he moaned, bringing his arms around her waist. 'Please! I'm a married man.'

Sara grinned and brought her hands up to cup his face, letting her hands drift up into his hair, upsetting his perfectly coiffed do. 'Your wife is one lucky woman' she murmured with a lewd smile.

'That's what she tells me' Neal replied, moving in to kiss her lips.

When they pulled apart, Sara's face had grown serious once again. 'What time are you hitting the road?' she asked.

'I'm picking Peter up at 2:00…' he answered, staring intently into her eyes.

'Will you do one thing for me?'

'Anything' Neal said, a soft smile on his lips.

'When you come home, will you please tell me what's _really_ going on with Liam?'

His eyes narrowed. 'You didn't buy that whole anniversary thing, huh?'

'I did… for about three seconds but you've become a terrible liar, Caffrey.'

'Either that, or you've become a great lie detector, Mrs. Caffrey' he shrugged.

'Maybe it's a little bit of both' she said softly, her hands running languidly through his thick head of salt and pepper hair.

'I'll get to the bottom of it' he promised, kissing her once more. 'Try not to worry.'

'Careful on the roads' she admonished as she finally pried herself away from his arms.

Neal headed for the door and turned to give her a wink. 'I look forward to working with you, Ms Ellis' he said before turning away.

WCWCWC

'Moira!' Scott shouted from the upstairs bathroom of their home in Montpelier, Vermont. 'Where's Harper's antibiotic?'

'On her dresser' came the response from down below.

'Come on, girls' he said to his twin four year olds. 'Time to get out of the bath, you're going to wrinkle up like a couple of prunes.'

He stared down at the bathroom floor, surprised to find there was still any water left in the tub. His youngest daughters loved frolicking in the water and by the end of bath time, most of the water had collected on the ceramic floor.

'Careful, careful. It's slippery' he reminded them as he handed them each a towel. 'Now go get into your jammies.'

He heard the two of them giggling as they headed to the bedroom they shared and he got on all fours and began soaking up the water that had overflowed as they'd vigorously played at serving each other tea and taking their rubber duckies out for a swim.

'No. That one's mine' came a voice from the nearby bedroom.

'No it's not!' came a second voice.

Scott let out a loud sigh and got to his feet, stepping into the bedroom to find the girls each latching on to a pyjama leg and pulling with all their might.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa' he shouted as he took in the scene. 'Stop it before you rip that thing to shreds!'

The girls stopped dead in their track and stared back at their dad.

'Harper, sit!' he ordered. 'Emma, you too!'

He hardly ever raised his voice and the girls reacted by immediately complying and sitting on the edge of their respective beds, looking up with their mouths hanging open.

'Now, who's bed was that pyjama on?' he asked.

'Mine' said Emma, the smaller of the two.

'Fine. Now put it on.'

'But Daddy…' Harper complained with a whine.

'Don't ' _but Daddy'_ me' he said as he picked her up and swirled her up in the air playfully. 'Now both of you, put on your pyjamas and you' he said addressing Harper, 'bring me your bottle of medicine and I'll give it to you.'

The giggling resumed and Scott returned to the job of cleaning up the bathroom just as twelve-year old Leah appeared with her notebook in her hand.

'Dad? How do I change 4/5 into a percentage?' she asked as she held her pencil to her mouth.

'Let me finish up with your sisters and I'll be right in, honey' he sighed, returning to the bathroom cleanup.

By 9:00, quiet had returned and Scott came down the stairs to the sound of his wife's voice as she spoke to eight-year-old Grace.

'I don't care if your friend Taylor told you it's true, it's _not_ true' he heard his wife say patiently.

'But…' the freckled red headed child responded.

'Honey, it's time for you to go to bed. Go put on your pyjamas and you can take out that book Daddy got you when you were little about how babies are made. You can read it and if you still have questions tomorrow, we'll talk about it' Moira said as she finished putting a load of wet laundry into the dryer.

'Now scoot' she said as she gave her daughter a kiss goodnight.

Scott let himself fall on the couch, reaching for the day's post and watching his wife waddle over to him. She was only five months along but she looked like she was ready to pop at any minute. With each pregnancy, she'd gotten bigger, sooner and if the doctor hadn't reassured them that there was only one foetus, he would have been convinced she was carrying twins… again.

'Hey babe' he said as she curled up beside him. 'What was that all about?'

'Grace is convinced that you can have a baby from kissing a boy' Moira said with a grin.

Scott turned towards his wife and kissed her soundly. 'I hope not 'cause I'll be in big trouble' he moaned.

'It's okay. You're safe. I'm _already_ pregnant' she said patting her belly.

'Speaking of which… when's our next ultrasound?' he asked, placing his hand on top of hers.

The previous scan had been inconclusive as far as the sex of the baby and even though he was trying to be a good sport about the possibility of adding another girl to the mix, Moira knew all too well he was praying desperately for a baby boy.

'Friday' she said, putting her feet up on the coffee table and looking over his shoulder as Scott went through the pile of junk mail, finally settling on the envelope from the Vermont Electric Co-op.

'Ouch' she said as she spied the amount due on their electric bill.

'That's it, no more cooking and baths. We can feed our filthy brood cold cheese sandwiches from now on' she joked as Scott rolled his eyes and threw the bill on top of the pile of opened letters.

'What's this?' he asked rhetorically as he picked up a fancy looking envelope.

He pulled out an equally fancy looking invitation, gilded in gold. In the background was a watermark photograph of Neal and Sara on their wedding day, twenty-five years earlier. Their eyes were bright and their smiles dazzling as the newlyweds stared back at the camera. Surrounding the text were countless smaller photographs of the two of them and their kids at various points in their lives: Neal leaning down to place a kiss on Sara's pregnant belly, Hope as a two-year old grinning back at the camera as she sat on her potty, Liam jumping off a dock into the water, the four of them grinning as they teetered on a ferris wheel, Sara holding up a fish with disdain, Hope grinning a toothless grin as she held her baby brother in her arms, Liam holding up a trophy with pride, Neal kissing his wife under the mistletoe.

Each photograph was a precious memory of their lives together. Moira and Scott let out a soft sigh and proceeded to read the invitation, a smile on their faces.

 _Hope and Liam Caffrey_

 _would like to invite you to share in the celebration as their parents_

 _Neal Caffrey and Sara Ellis_

 _renew their wedding vows_

 _on Sunday, June 15th_

 _at 2:00_

 _4788 Meadowbrook Street,_

 _White Plains, New York._

 _No gifts please._

 _If desired, donations can be made to the_

 _June Ellington School of Art_

 _to help with its vocation of supporting talented kids_

 _through the discovery of art._

 _RSVP_

Scott looked over at his wife, the question on his lips and she smiled back.

'We always said we wanted to take the girls to New York' she said.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Peter sat on the steps of his house watching as the traffic went by. He glanced down at the overnight bag at his feet and the grocery bag overflowing with candy, chips, pretzels and chocolate bars. He'd snuck the bag out of the house while Elizabeth had been busy in the kitchen; she would be none too pleased to know he was planning on sampling all that junk food.

A road trip was just what he needed - a welcome distraction from his tedious, boring life as a reluctant retiree. Sure, there were some things about retirement that were undeniably pleasant - for one thing, he enjoyed sleeping in and not having to set the alarm for 6:00 every morning. But most days, by the time 11:00 rolled around, he was rattling around the house, looking for something to do to pass the time. Sometimes, he and El would have a leisurely brunch or they'd sit together and read for an hour or two but after a while, Peter would get up and start poking around the house looking for something that needed fixing - a creaky door, a loose spindle on the staircase, the garbage disposal. With May just around the corner, there would be more outdoor chores to tend to but Peter had never aspired to having the greenest lawn or the lushest looking garden in the neighbourhood and unlike Neal, he didn't get excited as the first strawberries began to appear, announcing jam and pie-baking season.

When El had suggested he call it quits, he'd been agreeable at first, looking forward to not being a slave to the clock and the calendar. His work at the Raphael consisted mostly of keeping the gallery's financial transactions in order and producing a monthly financial statement for Neal's perusal - not exactly rocket science. But despite the generally slow pace, there was _some_ stress related to the job, especially in the busy summer months, when Peter helped out on the floor of the gallery. During those times, he would find himself working longer hours as he got behind in his regular tasks and he'd had to put up with El's frustration when he didn't make it home for dinner on time. For so many years, she had begrudged the Bureau taking up so much of their precious time as a couple and she wasn't interested in giving in to the demands of the Raphael Gallery now that Peter was in his twilight years.

As far as Peter was concerned, working with Neal at the Raphael had been fun, honest to goodness fun, without the pitfalls and potential dangers of their previous jobs at the FBI. But Neal was twelve years his junior, still in the prime of his life and even with the kids out of the house, he was busy with work at the School of Art as well as working in his studio at home to say nothing of the many interests he shared with Sara. The Caffreys enjoyed going out to plays and concerts as well as visiting galleries - something that had never appealed much to Peter - and since moving to the suburbs, Neal had developed a passion for cooking and to everyone's surprise, puttering in the garden.

Upon retirement, Peter had quickly realized that his life had been his job and that, except for Neal, he didn't have that many friends to hang out with. A couple of times a month, he'd pop in to the Bureau to have coffee with Jones and Diana to shoot the breeze and see what new and exciting cases they were working on. The agents would inevitably ask for his advice, although Peter was never really sure if the advice was helpful in any way or if his old colleagues were just humouring him. Regardless, he appreciated the effort and enjoyed knowing he might still have a positive impact on the work being carried out at his old stomping grounds.

The odd time, he'd driven out to the Bronx to surprise Neal but that had rarely worked out. He would show up to find Neal in the middle of a staff meeting or helping out with one of the classes and, after a while, he'd stopped popping in unannounced, preferring to schedule some time with his best friend when he knew he would be free.

Contrary to him, Elizabeth had been much more diligent about nurturing her friendships over the years and she seemed to have no shortage of activities to fill her day - or friends to share those activities with. Several times a week, she would meet up with one of her girlfriends to have lunch or coffee or head off to a show, leaving her husband to his own devices.

Peter sighed loudly and glanced up the street, catching a glimpse of Neal's SUV coming around the corner and he got to his feet, putting out his thumb and sticking out his leg in a provocative fashion. He could see Neal smiling through the windshield as he slowed down and rolled down the car window.

'Hey gorgeous, looking for a good time?' Neal asked as the car came to a stop.

'You don't know the half of it' Peter said, lifting the bag of food and wagging his eyebrows.

He threw his overnight bag in the back seat of the car and hopped in, bringing the bag of food with him to the front seat and settling it in between his legs.

'What have you got there?' Neal asked, peeking in. 'It looks like you bought out the whole junk food aisle.'

'While the cat's away….' Peter responded, rubbing his hands in glee. 'I'm really looking forward to this little road trip.'

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and stretched out his legs. It was always a treat to spend time with his best friend and he'd been looking forward all week to escaping the humdrum routine he'd unwittingly created for himself.

'We're in luck' Neal said as he took off down the street. 'The weather is perfect and they're calling for sunshine all weekend upstate.'

'I'm really looking forward to the big game' Peter said, his voice growing excited. 'I was reading how the Orange are closing in on second place in their conference.'

Neal nodded; he was proud of Liam's accomplishments in the sport he so loved. Young Caffrey had sounded downright ill at ease when he'd told his parents he'd been made captain of the team, an unexpected honour for a sophomore. Out of the blue, the coaching staff had called him in one day and told him how impressed they were with his leadership skills and his calm and poise on the court and with the current captain graduating, they had offered him the big C for his jersey. It had come as a total surprise for the modest young man, considering he'd been chosen over a couple of remaining fourth year students but the announcement had been well received by most of the players on the team and he seemed to be settling into his new role as the season wore on.

Neal and Peter settled in for the trip upstate, discussing Peter's plans to visit his sister, the upcoming renewal ceremony and of course, their favourite topic: Hope's pregnancy and the baby boy which they would soon be welcoming in their midst. They argued back and forth about names for the baby - not that either one of them would get the final say and before long, they had fallen into their old, familiar banter, Peter teasing Neal, Neal responding with a witty comeback and the two of them smiling broadly as they headed upstate for a welcome break from the routine.

WCWCWC

Sara sat in front of her makeup table, dabbing some mascara on her eyelashes and frowning at the latest wrinkles which had appeared around her eyes. It seemed an almost weekly occurrence these days, despite the countless creams and lotions she bought at great cost to fend off the appearance of the annoying crow's feet.

She felt a flutter in her stomach at the thought of their upcoming nuptials - butterflies she didn't recall having twenty-five years earlier when she first wed Neal Caffrey.

Getting married the first time had been an adventure, filled with excitement and limitless possibilities, their new life together full of hopes and dreams. Not knowing what lay ahead had been unsettling yet exciting and back then, she and Neal felt like they had the world by the tail and had limitless freedom to make their own choices. But they had quickly discovered that life sometimes threw curve balls when you least expected and that what truly tested the mettle of any marriage was how a couple reacted to those unexpected events.

It had been impossible to know what life would throw their way back when they'd said 'I do' that afternoon in June's garden. Within their first year of marriage, Neal and Sara's relationship had been sorely tested when Sara had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It had been a year from hell and collateral damage had included the loss of the precious baby she had been carrying. A few years later, Neal had been the one who'd been blindsided when he'd been involved in a car accident and suffered a severe head injury. The repercussions had lasted for years with memory loss and debilitating headaches and had led to the first of two estrangements for the couple, a true test of their commitment to one another.

Matthew Keller had surfaced on a couple of occasions, intent on destroying what Neal and Sara had worked so hard to build and his actions had left the couple shaken and scrambling to rebuild their marriage. Sara's bout with postpartum depression following Liam's birth had been another dark chapter in their lives but with proper help and Neal's unwavering support, she had clawed her way out of the black hole of despair she'd fallen into.

More recently, they had faced disappointment and heartbreak when Sara had miscarried a second time - a baby girl, this time. Then, several years later, Neal had become unwittingly embroiled in an unlikely espionage conspiracy which had led to Sara being kidnapped and sexually assaulted and the couple had worked for months at getting their lives back on track.

But life had decided that the Caffrey family was not yet done with facing adversity. Tragedy had struck again when Hope had been hit by a car on the day following her engagement to Cam, leaving her broken and Neal had become depressed, turning to alcohol for solace - a situation which had come right out of left field.

But throughout the pain and grief, Neal and Sara had always found a way to pull together, supporting one another unconditionally and they'd grown closer over time despite life's dogged efforts to tear them apart. And for every hardship life had seen fit to send the couple's way, there were blessings and boundless joy and so much to be thankful for, particularly when it came to their two amazing children who were their pride and joy.

Sara reflected on how much her devotion and love for Neal had deepened over the years and how the bond between them had continued to grow ever stronger, something she could never have predicted on that summer day all those years ago.

Now, twenty-five years in, there was very little mystery left regarding the charismatic ex-con she'd married and yet, she wouldn't change a single thing about him, even those annoying little habits of his that sometimes drove her crazy. He'd seen her at her lowest, emaciated and bald as she'd fought ovarian cancer, sweaty and irritable as she'd brought their children into the world, short-tempered and quick to anger whenever they argued. He'd put up with her biting sarcasm and tell-it-like-it-is attitude and yet, he'd never tried to change her, accepting her as she was, warts and all. He still made her laugh every day of her life and he always made her feel like the most beautiful, desirable woman in the world. To this day, when Neal made love to her, Sara felt loved and cherished, Neal's eyes still glowing with desire at the sight of her as if it was their very first time.

This time around, saying 'I do' meant so much more, it meant jumping in with their eyes wide open, without any illusions, knowing full well that anything could happen between two flawed human beings who were at the mercy of their frailties and imperfections and yet, still choosing to commit to one another and face the future together.

She brushed her hair and smiled at her reflection. Neal was still the sexiest, most intriguing man she'd ever met and he still got her pulse racing whenever he walked into the room and that… well, that meant she was gloriously alive and she wanted more of that, more of him… more of them.

The phone rang and she blinked, snapping out of her musings and returning to the here and now.

'Sara!' came Caitlin's voice from downstairs. 'It's Emily.'

Sara picked up the phone, her face relaxing as she prepared to chat with her older sister.

'Hey, how are you?' she asked, a smile lighting up her face.

'Great… but the weather is crappy here' she volunteered. 'What's up with you? Oh, by the way, I got your invitation in the mail. It's really beautiful!'

'That was Hope's doing. She did a great job, didn't she? So, you _are_ coming, right?'

'Try and keep me away' Emily replied with a deep throaty laugh almost identical to her sister's. She had missed Sara's first wedding, as a matter of fact, she'd missed so much more during the years they'd been apart and this was her chance to make up for it, now that they had found each other. 'Should I book a hotel room?'

'Yeah… at Hotel Caffrey' Sara said with a giggle. 'With the kids out of the house, we've got plenty of beds - and breakfast is included.'

'How's Hope doing?' Emily asked. She hadn't seen her since mid-February when she'd just started showing and phone pics just weren't the same.

'She looks like she's eight months along instead of six but she's feeling energetic. I don't want to burst her bubble and tell her how hard it's going to be to lose that weight when the baby comes.'

Emily laughed. 'So, tell me. How's the planning going for your trip to Paris?'

Sara let out a sigh. 'To be honest, we've been pretty wrapped up with the ceremony and day to day stuff. Except for our airline tickets and hotel reservations, we haven't done much… and Neal's gone up to Syracuse to spend the weekend with Liam.'

'I read online that he was named the new captain of Orange; you guys must be so proud of him' Emily said.

Sara had a fleeting thought for her son, aware that all was not well yet not knowing exactly what was troubling him. 'He's doing really well… and he's really enjoying business studies - who knew?'

The subject returned to the renewal ceremony and Sara's heart tightened as she recalled her first wedding - long before Emily had come back into her life.

'I thought I'd get there a few days early and help with the preparations if that's okay' Emily said. 'I'm assuming Elizabeth is running the show.'

'You know El… it's going to be spectacular. As a matter of fact, Hope and Caitlin and I are just headed over to her place to start discussing details.'

There was an uneasy silence on the line before Sara continued. 'You know what I'd really love, sis…' she said. 'We're going to look at dresses in a couple of weeks. I don't suppose…'

'Are you kidding? I would love it! Tell me when and I'll fly down for the day' Emily replied without hesitation.

The smile on Sara's face grew tenfold at the thought of sharing that special moment with her sister, something she had dreamed of doing the first time around.

' _You_ are the best!' she said.

WCWCWC

Peter let out a loud burp and Neal gave him a wary look. He'd been steadily working his way through his bag of junk food, barely stopping to breathe - like a kid who'd been given the keys to the candy shop.

'If you're not careful, we're going to have to put you on a diet' Neal said with a chuckle.

Peter patted his stomach; food was readily accessible now that he was home all day and he'd put on a few pounds since retiring. 'It's boring being home all day' Peter admitted wistfully. 'I spend my time waltzing into the kitchen and staring into the fridge… like I'm going to see something new and exciting every time I look in. But it's always the same old stuff: hummus, veggies, fruit, yogurt… at least when I worked, I could go out for lunch and have whatever I wanted.'

Neal glanced over at his best friend. Despite him trying to make light of it, he was obviously finding it hard to adapt to his new life. The moment couldn't be better for him to share the new developments over at Sterling Bosch.

'What if I told you I have a little proposition for you?' Neal said mysteriously.

He could tell he'd captured Peter's imagination by the way the older man sat up straight and looked over at him. 'Like… what kind of proposition?' he asked.

'Well, I just got a contract with Sterling Bosch to look into the high rate of claim payouts they've been having to deal with.'

Peter frowned, not quite understanding.

'Someone is coordinating the disappearance of some of the company's most valuable insured items and they're not popping up anywhere on the radar.'

'Disappearance as in theft?' Peter asked, his mind in full gear.

'Yeah, unresolved thefts but after a few months, Sterling Bosch has to pay out the claim and someone who's very familiar with that process and the value of these items seems to be pulling the strings.'

'How do you know they're not just unrelated thefts?' Peter asked, already in investigative mode.

'Because Winston Bosh received an anonymous letter letting him know someone's out to get him' Neal explained.

'And what does that have to do with me?' Peter asked.

Neal gave him a sideways glance and a grin. 'I convinced old man Bosch to let me bring you in on it.'

'Really?'

'Really' Neal replied. 'Are you interested?'

Neal didn't even have the time to count to three. 'Yeah, I'm interested' Peter said, his voice animated. 'Where do we start?'

'Well, we had an initial meeting with him and he's supplying us with a list of all the staff who've been fired over the past ten years.'

'We?'

'Oh, I forgot to mention. We're working with Sara on this.'

'Oh yeah?' Peter said with a sly smile. 'Ellis and Caffrey together again, huh?'

'Yeah…' Neal said with a frown. 'But just for the record, it's Caffrey and Ellis.'

Peter gave him a look of skepticism. 'Does Sara know that?' he asked with a wide grin.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The four women sat around the dining room table in the Burke home, chatting noisily, everyone expressing a different point of view on practically every subject that was raised.

'Okay, okay, okay' Elizabeth Burke shouted, calling everyone to order. 'Enough! Sara is the bride, she decides.'

Caitlin and Hope turned to look at Sara expectantly. They'd been on opposing ends of a heated discussion on whether or not Sara should wear her original wedding gown and the foursome grew quiet, turning towards her to hear the verdict.

'As much as I loved my wedding dress…' Sara began tentatively. 'I'm _definitely_ getting something new.'

'Yessss!' came Caitlin's voice. 'I knew it!'

Hope gave her an exasperated scowl and returned to the lengthy checklist her aunt Elizabeth had provided them with when they'd first walked in - a list of the endless subjects that required discussion including venue, clothing, food, guests, decorations, officiating, flowers, photographs, guest gifts and on and on and on.

Hope glanced down at her bulging stomach; she still wasn't sure what she would be able to find to wear for the special occasion. Despite the many stylish choices in maternity wear she'd seen in stores and magazines, she'd begun to feel like a lump of clay. She'd been spending much too much time, lately, changing outfits and staring hopelessly in the mirror before leaving the house in the morning.

'Well, then, we need to decide where you want to shop for your dress. Are we going traditional, more modern, short, long?' Elizabeth asked the bride in an attempt to keep them all on track.

'I _did_ see something I really like' Sara said, pulling out a magazine page from her purse.

Everyone's eyes grew in response to the photograph of a short, fitted, ivory coloured dress with a plunging back and just a touch of lace, breathtakingly beautiful in its simplicity.

'Wow!' Caitlin raved. 'Now, _that_ is gorgeous!'

'Well, it _is_ an afternoon ceremony' Sara reasoned. 'And there'll be kids there - I just don't think I want to go much more formal than this.'

She noticed how quiet Hope had become. 'What about you, honey. Any thoughts on what you'd like to wear?'

Hope shrugged and Sara moved closer, bringing her arm around her daughter's shoulder. 'Whatever you decide, you're going to look fantastic' she said, kissing her forehead. 'Being pregnant gives you such an amazing glow.'

The reassuring words seemed to momentarily do the trick and Hope returned to the checklist.

'What about decorations for the yard?' she asked. 'Are we going with a theme?'

Elizabeth's face lit up at the prospect of the outdoor venue; she was so excited about planning another wedding. The last one she'd worked on was Hope's, the previous summer, a vintage theme; it had been amazing and Hope had looked incredibly beautiful.

'I had an idea' El said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. 'What if we recreate what we did at June's twenty-five years ago, you know, fairy lights everywhere and an arch for you two to stand under when you say your vows?'

Sara nodded; she'd been thinking the same thing. 'That would be perfect' she said. 'How many people do you think we can comfortably sit back there?'

'Fifty to sixty, easily' said the experienced event planner. 'And if the weather is bad, we can clear out the living room for the guest seating and that way they can have a sightline into the dining room where we can set everything up for the ceremony. That leaves us with the kitchen and family room for food and mingling.'

Sara cringed. Having the ceremony outside was definitely her preference but there was nothing they could do about the weather at this point in time except pray for the best.

'All right, Hope. You can tick the venue box off the list' El said authoritatively. 'Now, let's talk about the menu.'

WCWCWC

By the time the car pulled into the parking lot of the Sheraton Syracuse, it was going on 7:30. Neal had been in touch with Liam who, sadly, had informed him that the coach had called a last minute practice and that he wouldn't be free until Saturday morning. Although disappointed, Neal had agreed to meet his son for lunch the next day and he'd decided to make the best of the situation and spend the evening hanging out with his best friend.

To his delight, Neal had noticed Peter growing increasingly relaxed the further away they'd gotten from the big city and he'd been pleased to see his old friend laughing heartily and horsing around by the time they'd finally reached their destination.

'You want to go out and get a bite?' Peter suggested - surprisingly, considering he'd been stuffing his face all afternoon.

'You're still hungry?' Neal asked, incredulous.

'Yeah… I could eat' Peter responded.

'Let's check in and unload our bags and I'll meet you in the lobby in ten' Neal suggested.

It took less than that for him to make a quick detour to his room and when he returned, he found a very content looking Peter sitting in the hotel lobby, reading the sports pages of the local newspaper.

'The Orange seem to be the pride and joy of this town' Peter said, putting down the paper. 'And Liam's name is mentioned three times in this article.'

Neal pretended to shrug it off but he took the newspaper from Peter's outstretched hand, glancing at it briefly before tucking it under his arm for safekeeping - something for Sara to add to the scrapbook of Liam's exploits she kept at home.

'So… what are you in the mood for? There's a deli I think you might like not too far from here - smoked meat, Reuben sandwiches' Neal suggested, playing to Peter's weakness.

Peter nodded in agreement. 'Yeah!'

'And then, maybe we can pop by and check things out at the Carrier Dome' Neal added as they climbed into the car.

'Sounds great!' Peter said.

WCWCWC

'Good night honey' Sara said as she hugged her daughter. 'Drive safely and text me when you get home.'

'W-will do' Hope said, squeezing herself behind the steering wheel of their old beat-up Chevy.

Sara watched her drive away with concern; her slight stutter was a sure sign her daughter was getting over-tired. She climbed into the car, next to Caitlin, and let out a sigh as the two women prepared to head back to White Plains.

'Thanks Sara' Caitlin said softly as they hit the road.

'Really, it's no big deal. I'm going that way, anyway' Sara responded deadpan.

After six years of living in the Caffrey home, Caitlin Somersby was used to the older woman's offbeat sense of humour; as a matter of fact, she loved the fact that Sara trusted her enough not to hold back when it came to showing her true colours.

'Seriously…' Caitlin said with a chuckle. 'I mean thank you… for including me in all the preparations.'

Sara smiled at her foster daughter; as apprehensive as she'd been when Neal had first suggested they open up their home to the wayward team, Caitlin was now a part of their family - for better or for worse.

'You're welcome, sweetie' Sara replied. 'You're an honorary Caffrey… and you always will be.'

'I love the dress you showed us' Caitlin said dreamily.

'It's beautiful, isn't it? I hope El can help me find it' Sara responded. 'And when we go shopping, I want you to pick out something really special for yourself.'

She glanced over at the young woman whose face had instantly lit up at the mention of a new outfit. Initially, Sara and Neal had been worried that their foster daughter might feel left out when they'd asked Liam and Hope to stand up for them but, to the contrary, Caitlin had been more than fine with the plan… and thankful to be included in the celebration.

Almost immediately, Caitlin perked up. 'I _did_ see something I really, really like' she admitted. 'But it's a couple of hundred bucks…'

Sara reached out and touched her arm. 'Done!' she said

WCWCWC

Neal glanced at his watch; if they were going to pop in and surprise Liam at his basketball practice, they'd better head out soon. He was under no illusion that he and Liam would be having a meaningful discussion at this hour of the night but he was anxious to see his son with his own eyes before he settled in for the night.

The cavernous Carrier Dome, where the Orange held all their home games and practices, was really hopping despite the late hour on a Friday night. Peter and Neal snuck in one of the side doors and settled onto the bleachers, taking a seat alongside only a handful of other spectators. Neal looked on in awe as the players raced up and down the court with boundless energy over and over again while the coaches urged them on from the sidelines. It was a gruelling workout by any standard and he couldn't help but admire these young athletes for their stamina and determination.

He could hear Liam's voice shouting out instructions and words of encouragement to his teammates as he ran down the court - definitely stepping out of his comfort zone as he successfully rose to the demands of being the team leader. It was nice to see the normally shy, reserved young man coming into his own. As a kid, Liam had always been quiet and introverted and, at first, Neal had mistaken his reserved personality for a lack of interest in what was going on around him and an unwillingness to express his opinions.

With someone as outgoing as Hope Ellis-Caffrey for a sister, you had to fight to be heard and Liam was so easygoing, it was sometimes easy to forget that he had an opinion too. Behind the quiet, thoughtful young man was someone who liked to observe and over time, Neal had learned to appreciate Liam's laid-back temperament and his unique way of processing the world, all the while remaining true to himself.

Neal could tell the moment Liam spotted him sitting in the stands; a small, discreet smile appeared on his lips as he slowed down to take a sip from his water bottle. Neal didn't want to embarrass his son by drawing attention to himself so he settled back in his seat and gave Peter a proud smile.

'He's amazing' Peter commented, eyes glued to the court. 'He gets better every time I see him.'

Neal had to agree; his son was extremely talented and he was ecstatic that he'd been given the opportunity to play the game he loved at such an elite level. At six foot one, Liam certainly wasn't the tallest player on the team by any means but he was built solid, contrary to some of his more slender, willowy teammates and he had an undeniable presence on the court. Neal recognized Liam's roomie making a move up the court and pointed Josh out to Peter just as the young man gave him a quick wave.

The coaching team was really putting them through their paces and finally, at just past eleven o'clock, the head coach called it quits, inviting the young men to get a good night's sleep and to return for the game-day meeting at 10:00 the next morning. The group disbanded and Neal watched with interest as one of the coaches called Liam aside for a chat.

'Hi Mr. Caffrey' Neal heard and he turned to find Josh Monteith, towering over him, sweat glistening off his dark brown skin.

'Josh! It's great to see you again. Good work out there' Neal said, getting to his feet. 'This is Liam's uncle, Peter Burke' he added.

Peter looked a little star-struck; he loved sports, _all_ sports, and it was nice to get up close and personal with the players he so admired.

'You really worked up a sweat out there' Peter commented, putting out his hand.

'Liam asked me to tell you he'll just be a minute' Josh said, wiping his brow with a towel.

'No problem. I was going to drive him back to the dorm if you want to meet us in the lobby, you can climb in.'

'Great, see you in a few' Josh said.

Neal sat patiently, not wanting to get in the way and he watched as whatever discussion Liam and his coach were having came to an end and suddenly the two men were walking towards them as Peter and Neal rose, meeting the pair halfway.

'Hey Dad!' Liam called out, hugging his father despite the sweat rolling off his body. 'Sorry…'

'Never apologize for hugging your dad' Peter said as he did the same. 'Or your uncle!'

'Dad, this is Joe Reynolds, our offensive coach' Liam said, pointing to the older man at his side.

'Hi' Neal said, taking his outstretched hand. 'Neal Caffrey.'

'Nice to meet you Mr. Caffrey' the man said, bringing his hand to Liam's back. 'You must be very proud of your son here, we all are.'

Liam looked down, slightly ill at ease with the praise, something he never seemed to get used to.

'We are. His mom and I are very proud' Neal said as the man prepared to leave. 'Good luck tomorrow night, we'll be cheering.'

Liam looked from his godfather back to his dad and for some reason Neal didn't care to comprehend, he reached out to hug him a second time.

'It's really great to see you, Dad' he said.

WCWCWC

Neal was up and ready to go first thing in the morning but he had to bide his time while he waited for Liam to finish up with the team meeting the coaches had called. He hadn't gleaned much from his brief chat with his son the night before; Liam had been exhausted by the time they'd dropped him off at his dorm and Neal hadn't wanted to push it.

'You've been awfully quiet' Peter commented as the two men sat down to breakfast in the hotel coffee shop. 'What's on your mind?'

'Nothing' Neal said with a con-man smile, failing miserably in his attempt to convince his best friend.

'Right!' Peter replied. 'You realize that phoney smile of yours hasn't worked on me in about… say, twenty years.'

Neal chuckled, a little more sincerely this time. 'I… I worry about Liam, that's all' he admitted.

'Why, is something wrong?' Peter asked between bites.

'Not sure… he called earlier this week and said he needed my advice on something but I haven't been alone with him long enough for him to tell me what's going on' Neal confided.

'Well, you two can talk at lunch' Peter said, noticing the look of concern in Neal's eyes. 'Look, Liam's a smart kid, wiser than you were at his age… or any age, for that matter' he couldn't help adding with a wry smile.

Neal gave him an eye roll, knowing full well Peter was speaking the truth. 'Whatever it is, you'll talk it through and he'll figure it out.'

Neal nodded; he knew that there was no problem so daunting that there wasn't some kind of solution but there were some hardships he'd rather his kids never have to face in life - the unrealistic wish of every parent.

'Here' Neal said, handing over the car keys. 'Be good and don't forget to gas up. I'm going to walk over to the campus and see if Liam's free.'

'I'll be back in plenty of time for the game' Peter called out as Neal waved and walked away.

Neal took his time, breathing in the fresh spring air and arriving at Liam's dorm in fifteen minutes flat. Being on any university campus was a bittersweet experience for Neal; he'd felt the same way whenever he'd visited Hope at Carnegie Mellon. He had never had the opportunity to attend university and he'd always wondered what life might have been like if his dad hadn't been carted off to jail and he and his mom hadn't been relocated to St. Louis. How would things have been different? For one thing, he might have never landed in New York and met Peter Burke and eventually a certain insurance investigator and… well, he didn't want to think about that.

He gave a quiet knock on the door to Liam and Josh's room and, hearing no sound from within, he dug deep in his pant pocket for the key he'd only had to use once since Liam had moved in two years before.

He'd just stepped in and taken a seat on the edge of Liam's bed to sit and wait when he heard a key in the lock and in walked Josh Monteith, all six feet six of him.

'Mr. Caffrey!' the young man said, startled. 'I wasn't expecting to see you here.'

'Sorry… I'm just waiting for Liam. We're going out to lunch' Neal said, getting to his feet to greet Liam's roomie.

'He's just talking with the coach' Josh explained. 'He should be here any minute.'

'So, how are things with you? Exams are coming up, huh?' Neal asked, making conversation.

The lanky young man moved to his desk, collecting some things as he spoke. 'The coaches are keeping us really busy' he explained. 'It's a good thing they provide extra tutoring or some of us might not make it.'

Neal nodded. 'And Liam… he seems okay' Neal said, fishing for information.

He thought he might have seen a fleeting look of awkwardness in the young man's deep brown eyes but then again, it might have been his overactive imagination.

'Yeah, same as me, basketball overload' Josh said. 'If you'll excuse me, I've got to get to the library. There's stuff to drink in the mini-fridge, if you're thirsty' he added, pointing to the corner of the room.

'It was great to see you again, Josh' Neal said. 'I guess we'll see you later… at the game.'

'See you Mr. Caffrey' the young man said as he grabbed some books from his desk and, just like that, he was gone.

Neal glanced around the room, noticing how tidy and organized things were - impressive stuff for a couple of twenty-year-old jocks. He walked over to Liam's desk, glancing at the piles of books and papers, along with the new laptop he and Sara had bought him as an early gift for his upcoming birthday. He mindlessly picked up one of Liam's textbooks entitled 'Business Strategies; How to Grow a Small Company'. He'd never quite understood his son's attraction to studying business but Liam had been adamant that the knowledge he acquired could translate to dozens of different types of ventures and he dreamed of owning a bed and breakfast or maybe an antique store someday.

Neal opened the book and began leafing through its pages when he noticed a few sheets of paper tumble out onto the desk. He picked them up, preparing to tuck them back where he'd found them when curiosity got the better of him and he began to read what he'd accidentally come upon.

His eyes grew and he let out a loud gasp as he read the e-mails he'd uncovered. There was no longer any mystery as to what Liam wanted to discuss with him and Neal quickly stuffed the papers into his jacket pocket just as he heard footsteps growing closer. He'd barely had time to step away from the desk when the door flew open and Liam stood there, wearing a shirt and tie and looking exhausted.

'Hey' he said to his dad. 'Sorry about that. The coach wanted a word with me.'

Neal snapped back quickly, his face a blank slate as he recovered from the shock of what he'd just read.

'You look great! Really snazzy' he said as Liam entered the room.

'The coach likes us to look professional on game day' Liam responded modestly.

'And you do' Neal said. 'So, are you hungry? I thought I'd take you out for lunch to —'

'Caruso's' Liam said, finishing his dad's sentence for him.

'I guess I've grown predictable' Neal responded.

Liam laughed. 'It's great… you know what I like.'

'Unless…'

'No, no. Caruso's is great, I've been thinking about their lasagna all week' Liam enthused. 'And I'm starved.'

'Luckily, it's only a few blocks' Neal explained. 'I lent the car to Uncle Peter so he could go visit his sister in Watertown.'

Liam stood and opened the door to his room. 'After you!'

WCWCWC

The wonderful aroma of Italian spices tickled Neal's nostrils the moment they walked into the restaurant. Italian had always been his son's favourite, bar none. As a kid, whenever it was his turn to choose a restaurant for their weekly Friday night dinner out, you could be sure Liam picked somewhere where he could get a nice cheesy lasagna.

Neal noticed a small smile appear on his son's face as they took a seat; with school and sports, he didn't get the chance to eat out much and Neal was happy to be treating him to a nice meal out. The men settled in a booth and the waiter immediately brought over a basket of garlic cheese bread, the restaurant's specialty and it didn't take long for Liam to dive in.

'Mmmmm. This is delicious. Aren't you going to have some, Dad?' he spoke, his mouth full.

Neal studied him and smiled; watching Liam enjoying the simple pleasures in life made him happy.

'Oh, before I forget' Neal said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. 'This is from your mom.'

Liam peeked into the envelope, not that there was any doubt as to what was inside - his parents were notorious for slipping him extra cash every chance they got.

'Really Dad?' Liam said with an embarrassed smile. 'I don't need this…'

'Who said anything about _needing_ ' Neal said with a shrug. 'This is fun money, so you and Cody can have a nice dinner out when he comes to town next time… or maybe take in a movie.

'With this much cash, we can take in a _dozen_ movies' Liam commented as he took in the short stack of bills.

'You know your mom…. always worrying about the two of you' Neal said, downplaying his part.

Like most parents, Neal and Sara couldn't do enough for their kids; they'd done the same with Hope when she was away at college and they couldn't wait to start spoiling their grandson as well. After all, what good was having money if you couldn't spoil the ones you loved.

'I had a chat with Josh earlier' Neal began as Liam tensed up. Surely, his buddy hadn't grassed him up to his dad.

'He was telling me how busy the coaches have been keeping you' Neal continued, studying Liam's reaction and waiting for him to come clean about what was on his mind.

'Yeah, well, with exams coming up and the playoffs, it's been a little hectic' Liam replied and Neal could have sworn he was avoiding his gaze.

Neal couldn't take much more and he reached into his jacket pocket, producing the e-mails he'd taken from Liam's room and he set them down on the table in silence as their eyes met.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Liam stared down at the table, incredulous. He immediately recognized the pages he'd printed and tucked away for safekeeping in one of his textbooks. What he couldn't figure out was how they'd ended up in his dad's jacket pocket. His eyes rose to focus on Neal, searching for answers.

'Before you say anything….' Neal began. 'I did _not_ search your room or snoop around your stuff. I was… I was just leafing through one of your books while I was waiting for you and this fell out.'

'It's all right, Dad…' Liam replied with a loud sigh. 'It's not like I was trying to hide it from you. I was just… waiting for the right time to bring it up.'

Neal scrutinized his son, detecting a mix of emotions at the sight of the e-mails: trepidation, disillusionment, suspicion, worry, sadness, even a tinge of anger but surprisingly no fear.

'How long has this been going on, Liam?' Neal asked, his voice quiet.

'Not long… not even a week' Liam admitted. 'It just escalated over the past couple of days.'

Neal was thankful he'd had a few minutes to absorb the substance of the e-mails before sitting down to discuss the situation with his son. If he had read the disturbing comments for the first time sitting there in the restaurant, he might not have been able to contain his outrage or hold back his anger. As it was, he knew he needed to keep his cool and hear Liam out before expressing his own opinion on the subject.

'So, tell me exactly what happened' Neal said, leaning in to listen.

'On Monday, just before I called you, I sat down to work on an assignment and when I opened my textbook… _this_ was tucked inside' Liam said, producing the handwritten note he'd found and handing it over to his dad.

Neal's eyes grew in surprise; as if the e-mails hadn't been bad enough, apparently there was more. He stared down at the piece of lined paper with the scribbled text and his mouth fell open as he read.

'After that…' Liam continued '…those e-mails you found started appearing one after the other.'

Neal re-read the short note a few more times, blinking as he took in the spiteful words. Seeing a handwritten note spewing such hatred made the whole thing that much more personal; that someone would take pen to paper and scribble down something so hateful seemed unfathomable.

After a moment, he spoke up, breaking the tension. 'Well, for one thing, whoever wrote this has really lousy grammar' he said, tongue in cheek.

Liam smiled and shook his head; leave it to his dad to try to bring the tension down a notch.

'So, who had access to your book?' Neal asked, more seriously this time.

Liam shrugged. 'Dad, that note could have been there for a whole week before I noticed it. I hadn't looked at that textbook since class the week before. But I carry books to and from class all the time in my backpack and… well, I put my bag down dozens of times a day.'

Neal listened intently. 'Have you done anything about it yet?'

Liam shook his head and looked down at the table, disheartened.

'Liam, these e-mails are downright threatening' Neal said, his eyes narrowing. 'Surely, the university has a policy on harassment.'

'It does, Dad but… you know as much as I do, it's not always that simple.'

Sadly, Neal had to agree. A couple of unfortunate incidents in high school had taught Liam that, sometimes, it was just easier to let things go than to further antagonize those who were ignorant enough to try to intimidate you. With bullies, if you confronted them, you ran the risk of retribution and the next time, the attacks might be sneaky and increasingly nasty.

Liam and Cody had dated all through high school and they'd had to put up with more than their share of bullying. As president of the school's Gay Straight Alliance, Cody had been a visible target for haters and sadly, the two of them had been on the receiving end of homophobic barbs on a few occasions. In one particular incident, the two of them had been ambushed and attacked by some of the boys from the high school football team, leaving Cody badly beaten. Neal and Sara had been tormented about what to do, fearing that if they reported the incident, the boys would be at risk of further violence. But Liam had just come out and it had been important for him to stand up for himself and not let the perpetrators walk away scot free.

Neal studied his son's face across the table, detecting sadness - or perhaps it was resignation - in his eyes.

'Over the years, Cody and I have had to learn to be… discreet' Liam explained, his voice growing quiet. 'I'm proud of who I am and part of who I am is loving Cody and I've never tried to hide that from anyone. But… there's still a lot of hatred and hostility out there, Dad, and we're… well, we're really careful. We don't flaunt our relationship when we're out in public, we don't hold hands or show any affection unless we're somewhere we feel safe.'

Neal felt a lump forming in his throat. He knew it hadn't always been smooth sailing for the two young men but he'd had the impression things had gotten easier since they'd gotten back together the previous winter.

'Liam, you have the right to love whoever you want…' Neal began, searching to find the right words.

'Dad, it's different for you. You can walk down the street and hold Mom's hand and not be constantly looking over your shoulder to see who's watching, judging you or worse yet… planning to beat you up just because of who you _happen_ to love.'

Liam stopped to take a breath as Neal watched his tortured face. 'If you decide to stop in the middle of Times Square and give Mom a nice, big juicy kiss, nobody will think twice about it. You'll probably even have people cheering or thinking it's sweet. But, for us, it's…. it's different. We're always walking that fine line between being out and proud and not doing anything that might put us at risk.'

Neal listened, his heart breaking for his son. It was so unfair that this gentle, sweet soul was being held to a different standard just because of who he loved.

'Do you have _any_ idea who might be doing this?' Neal asked as a fleeting thought crossed his mind.

After breaking up with Cody and relocating to Syracuse, Liam had dated another young man he'd met on campus. The Caffreys had met Todd Greenway on a couple of occasions when they'd visited Liam and Neal had found him clingy and insecure and, frankly, not a good match for his son - although he'd wisely kept his mouth shut at the time. But Liam's heart had always belonged to Cody Miller and when Liam had come home at Christmas, the two of them had reconnected, to Neal and Sara's delight. Todd had been less than understanding when Liam had broken up with him upon his return; he'd been hurt and angry that their budding romance had been cut short and he'd hassled Liam for a few months, hoping to rekindle their relationship.

Neal couldn't help sharing his suspicion with Liam. 'You don't suppose that…' he began, letting his voice trail.

Obviously, the thought must have crossed Liam's mind as well because he seemed to know immediately who his dad was referring to. 'No, no, Dad. Todd was angry when we broke up but… I can't imagine him doing this and I especially can't imagine him using these homophobic slurs.'

Maybe he would, Neal thought, if he was angry enough and wanted to upset Liam - but he kept his thoughts to himself.

'Can you think of anybody else who might want to lash out at you? Someone from the basketball team maybe?' Neal asked, lines appearing on his forehead.

'I don't know… we're all really tight on the team and I can't imagine any one of them doing this. And it's not like I just came out last week… they've known all along.'

Liam's shoulders drooped as he spoke; he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. In that moment, all Neal wanted to do was take Liam in his arms and keep him safe from harm, safe from those who would judge a wonderful young man for something as inconsequential as his sexual orientation.

Neal's hand reached out to rest on Liam's as the waiter arrived with their meals and Neal noticed a look of disdain on the older man's face. He could feel the blood boiling in his veins and before he could censor himself, he looked up at the man, scowling.

'Is there some sort of problem?' Neal asked, his anger at the situation redirected at the poor, hapless waiter.

'No, of course not, sir' the man said as he scrambled away from the table, embarrassed.

Neal took a cleansing breath, realizing how inappropriate his behaviour had been. 'Sorry' he said to Liam.

'See what I mean…' Liam said with a look of resignation in his eyes. 'It's still everywhere, Dad.'

Neal nodded sadly as Liam continued. 'At first, I just… I wanted to let it go but… I have to admit it's become a distraction on the court and I've got exams coming up in another week' Liam said, looking up at Neal. 'I don't want to blow my semester over this, Dad.'

Neal sighed and moved on to solution mode. 'Is there someone on the faculty you could talk to, someone you trust?' he asked.

'Josh suggested I talk to my academic counsellor and see what she has to say' Liam said.

'Is that the woman we met when you first got here, Andrea…' Neal asked, unable to recall the woman's last name.

'Yeah, Andrea Matthews. She's nice and she's been really supportive. I'm pretty sure she could give me some good advice on what to do next.'

'That sounds like a really good plan' Neal concurred as Liam nodded. 'If you like, I can stay on a few days and come with you when you meet with her.'

Liam smiled; his dad was always there when he needed him. 'It's all right, Dad. I'm going to be twenty in a couple of weeks, I think I can fight my own battles.'

'You never need to, you know' Neal replied, his voice breaking. 'Me and your mom, we're always there for you, no matter what.'

Liam nodded, getting a little choked up himself. 'And I love you for it' he said.

'What about Cody? Does he know?'

'Do you think I should tell him?' Liam asked.

'Take it from someone who kept way too many secrets for much too long, secrets just gnaw away at you and they're poison in a relationship. Cody might find out eventually and then… well, you have some explaining to do and the trust is never quite the same after that' Neal mused, thinking of his own experience.

'You're right' Liam said, nodding. 'I'll call him tomorrow and tell him what's going on.'

Liam seemed distracted by the delicious looking lasagna which had been placed before him and Neal grinned at the realization that a nice hot plate of pasta could still provide some comfort when times got tough.

'You know, Liam. I've learned so much watching you deal with all this… crap you've had to deal with' Neal said, not mincing words. 'You're a kind, decent man and I'm really proud that you're my son' he added, choking up.

He looked down at his own meal and shook off the nostalgia; he knew that, as it was, they'd already made much more of a fuss than Liam felt comfortable with.

'This looks great!' Neal enthused, picking up his fork and watching Liam do the same. 'Dig in!'

WCWCWC

Caitlin glanced at her watch and took another sip of coffee, her foot tapping impatiently against the hard ceramic floor.

She was late. Again.

Not that Caitin was surprised. Jackie Somersby was _always_ late for their weekly rendezvous, prancing in with some lame excuse about having to meet her parole officer or missing the bus or having slept in or some other pretext to cover up the fact that she was a selfish old goat who didn't give a shit if she kept her daughter waiting.

Caitlin wondered why she kept at it - why did she keep giving her mom opportunities to prove herself when the woman was clearly incapable of keeping any of her promises - even something as insignificant as meeting up for coffee. Caitlin's thoughts turned to Linda Bennett, her surrogate grandmother, a woman who had managed to walk away from a tenacious addiction to become a caring, loving mother and grandmother. Truth was, somewhere deep inside, Caitlin kept hoping that if she was patient enough, kind enough, loving enough, her mom might finally come around - just as Linda Bennett had. But Jackie Somersby was no Linda Bennett as Caitlin well knew and the young woman was just grateful to have a home she could go to where commitment meant something and people kept their word.

She was just about to throw in the towel and go home when she spotted her mom arriving in the shopping mall's food court, wearing a bright pink boa feather around her neck and teetering on shoes that were too high for her to manage especially when she was drunk - which she most definitely was. Caitlin got to her feet, preparing to leave. When she'd agreed to start seeing her mom again, she'd made it clear she was happy to meet with her anytime as long as she was sober and functioning; otherwise, all bets were off.

'Hi sweetheart!' Jackie called out loudly - so loudly that everyone in the immediate vicinity turned to see what all the ruckus was about.

Caitlin let out a sigh of desperation and stood, waiting for her to come closer before responding, not wanting to throw oil on the fire.

'I'm sorry I'm late' the woman slurred. 'But it's not my fault… you wouldn't believe what happened to me… there was some accident —'

Caitlin stared her straight in the eye and interrupted the woman's monologue. 'Mom, stop! Right now!' she said as Jackie looked at her quizzically, her lipstick smeared and her eyes unfocussed.

'I told you when we started seeing each other, that I would see you once a week as long as you didn't show up high or drunk.'

'But… I'm not!' the bleached blonde said, her voice quivering.

'I'm not arguing with you, Mom. I'm leaving now. If you want to try again next week, let me know.' Caitlin said, her voice strong and unwavering.

The woman staggered a few steps in an attempt to catch up to her daughter but Caitlin's movements were too quick and she let herself fall on a chair with a pout.

Caitlin didn't look back, despite her desire to make certain the woman hadn't fallen on her keister in the middle of the shopping mall. She walked resolutely down the hall, past the stores and boutiques, eyes straight ahead as she headed for the exit to catch a bus.

'Damn it!' she said, wiping a tear and feeling the anger rising inside her - anger that was not directed at her mom but at herself, for still caring.

WCWCWC

Once the painful subject was out of the way, Neal and Liam spent the rest of the meal talking about family and things back home: the job he'd be starting in June as manager of Budd's Gardens at the local market, Hope's pregnancy, the big game which was hours away, the fact that Liam was in the running for league MVP and of course, the subject on everybody's mind: baby names.

'You're kidding!' Liam laughed. 'That sounds like a name for a funeral director.'

Neal chuckled. 'Well, apparently, it's a name that's been passed down for generations in the Armstrong family' he said with a shrug.

'A newborn baby needs a more modern name like Aiden or Logan… or even Noah.'

'Noah? Seriously?' Neal countered. 'That name is from the Bible, Liam - can't get more ancient than that. Anyway, your nephew isn't going to be a baby forever, he'll grow to be a man someday and you need a good strong name that grows with you… like Liam.'

The waiter returned, interrupting as he brought over a couple of tiramisu, killing them with kindness after his earlier indiscretion.

'Was everything to your satisfaction, sir?' he asked Neal.

'Yes, thank you… Ernesto' Neal replied, checking out his name tag. 'And… I'm sorry for earlier, if I was rude.'

'No, sir. Of course not' the man said with a bow as Liam grinned and returned to their discussion.

'I've always liked my name' Liam admitted. 'Did you pick it for any particular reason?'

Neal took a bite of the sweet dessert. 'It was just on our short list of names and when we saw your little face, well, Mom said you looked like a Liam and that was that.'

Liam nodded and smiled, the earlier drama seemingly forgotten - at least for the moment. He loved spending time with his dad and having him in town for the game meant the world to him.

'Dad…' he began, growing serious. 'I really appreciate you coming up. You always give me really good advice.'

'I love you' Neal replied without hesitation. 'And you need to know I'm here for you and so is your mom… whatever you need, day or night.'

'I know' Liam said softly, his eyes moving to the dessert and diving in, demolishing it with a couple of huge bites.

His eyes came up to meet Neal's who had moved on to sipping his coffee.

'Dad?' he asked, pointing to the half-eaten dessert. 'Are you going to finish that?'

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Orange beat Cornell. Barely. Liam had a decent game; at least in everyone's eyes but Neal's. He could tell the captain of the team was slightly off his game and having a hard time staying focussed on the task at hand.

Neal had avoided calling home all weekend, opting for the means of communication preferred by those who liked to avoid giving too many details: the impersonal, yet useful, text. He'd texted on the first night to let Sara know he and Peter had arrived safely, and sent another message telling her he and Liam had had a nice lunch together (no details provided) and as the fans began to head for the exits, he picked up his phone yet again to let her know Syracuse had won and that he'd text her in the morning to let her know what time they'd be leaving. To her credit, Sara hadn't hounded him for specifics regarding his lunch with Liam, a temporary reprieve from the third degree he'd have to endure once he got home.

'Sara?' Peter asked as he watched Neal put away his phone.

'Yeah, just letting her know they won' Neal said as the two men settled back to wait for the crowd to start to thin out.

They had a good thirty to forty minute wait while the players showered and changed and the two old friends dawdled, slowly making their way towards the gathering place where fans waited to greet their favourite players on their way out.

Ever since Peter had returned from his visit to Watertown, he'd noticed Neal was in a reflective mood. They'd only had a few minutes to get ready and head over to the Dome and just enough time to grab a couple of dogs before settling into their seats for the game and the moment hadn't been right for him to start grilling Neal about his lunch with Liam. There would be lots of time on the drive back to find out what seemed to have his best friend looking so glum.

A crowd, made up mostly of young groupies and some of the players' family members waited outside the changing rooms as the players began to trickle out. Some of the guys came out to cheers and applause, hugging their girlfriends, joining their friends and family and when Liam finally made an appearance, a gaggle of young girls immediately gathered around him, drawn like moths to a flame.

Liam was classically good looking with an athletic build and he had been lucky enough to inherit his dad's fine chiseled features. His wavy sandy brown hair hung just above his shoulders, styled casually yet always well groomed and he smiled easily, his full lips curling up into a grin and emphasizing his dimples - another Caffrey inherited trait. But above all, when you looked at the young man, your gaze was instantly drawn to his piercing green eyes, reminiscent of his mom's, and he drew you in despite his quiet, easygoing demeanour.

Whether the throng of young girls hanging off of him didn't know Liam was gay or frankly didn't care one way or the other, they were in obvious awe of the team's star player and Liam took the time to interact with some of the young women, even posing for a few selfies before finally making his way to join his dad and his uncle Peter.

'Hey!' Peter called out, tapping Liam enthusiastically on the back. 'Great game, champ!'

'Thanks' Liam said demurely - partly because of his inherent modesty but mostly because he knew better than anyone that his performance had been anything but outstanding.

'Good work Liam!' Neal added as he hugged his son.

'You're a regular movie star!' Peter commented as he glanced over at the few remaining fans who were still gawking at Liam.

'It's just…' Liam began, obviously embarrassed. '…they're regulars… girls from some of my classes and stuff.'

Neal could tell his son was eager to change the subject to a more comfortable topic. 'So, is the team going out?' he asked, knowing full well that the team usually got together for a bite to eat with the coaches after a game.

'Yeah' Liam said, uneasily. 'Is that okay with you?'

'Of course it's okay' Neal said with a warm smile. 'We've got to get back and get a good night's sleep before hitting the road in the morning.'

Peter sensed something unspoken between father and son and he perked up, intent on giving them a few minutes alone.

'Why don't I go get the car and pick you up out front' he suggested as Neal dug into his pocket and handed over the car keys.

'Thanks Peter' Neal said softly as Liam reached over to hug his uncle one last time.

'Thanks for coming, Uncle Peter' he said.

'Are you kidding? That was a hoot. And I promise to come back for some of your playoff games and this time, I'll bring your aunt Elizabeth.'

Liam smiled and waved him off, turning to face his dad.

'So, you're leaving first thing in the morning?' he asked.

'Yeah' Neal said, suddenly wishing they had more time together. 'I promised Hope I'd get started on that mural this weekend so…'

'She told me you were painting another one for the baby's room… cool!' Liam replied.

'So… you still planning on meeting with your academic counsellor on Monday?' Neal asked as Liam nodded.

'I suppose it's out of the question to ask you not to tell Mom…' he said with a shy smile.

Neal pursed his lips and shrugged. 'You know I can't do that, buddy. Your mom and I have no secrets when it comes to the two of you… and besides, I've kind of gotten used to having two fully functioning arms' he added in jest.

'All right' Liam chuckled. 'Just… don't overdramatize.'

'Overdramatize?' Neal repeated indignantly, bringing his hand to his chest. 'Moi!'

There was an uneasy silence and Liam finally spoke up. 'I'm sorry Dad' he said, as if he was somehow responsible for the woes that had befallen him.

'For what?' Neal asked, searching his eyes. 'You have _nothing_ to apologize for. I just wish you didn't have to go through all this on your own.'

Liam shrugged and smiled, a forced smile. 'I'll call you Monday and let you know how it went.'

'You better or I'll have to get back in the car and come shake it out of you' Neal said, opening his arms to hug his son one last time.

Time stopped as father and son hugged, a hug that was unusually long. Neal held on tight, feeling tears forming and he blinked a few times to chase them away before Liam reluctantly pulled away.

'Thanks for everything, Dad' he said, the room around them still buzzing with excitement at the home team's win. 'I really appreciate you coming.'

Neal swallowed, unwilling to fall apart in front of his son. 'Don't mention it' he replied.

'I love you Dad' Liam said just as a teammate came up behind him and tapped him on the back.

'You riding with us, Caffrey?' the young man said.

'Yup' young Caffrey said as he gave his dad a small wave.

And just like that, Neal was left standing in the middle of a crowded room, feeling all alone.

WCWCWC

Sara looked down at her phone and smiled wistfully. Even after all these years, seeing Neal's name pop up on her phone screen still had that effect on her.

She turned to share the latest news regarding Liam's exploits with her daughter when she spotted her lugging a large box from one corner of the room to the other.

'Honey, don't lift that! Let me get it' Sara said, practically wrestling the box of baby clothes from Hope's arms and setting it down.

'You can't be lifting stuff… not anymore' Sara chastised as Hope looked on, puzzled.

'Mom, it's a box of clothes!' she declared, frustrated. 'I'm hardly moving furniture.'

Sara gave her a look of irritation; Hope seemed tired and stressed as of late. She'd been working her forty hours a week at the gallery and helping her best friend Olivia plan her upcoming wedding to say nothing of the class she was taking online and the preparations for Neal and Sara's renewal ceremony.

She walked over to her daughter, forcibly dragging her towards the rocking chair which sat in the middle of the baby's room and sitting her down under protest as she crouched down to take her hand.

'Hope, you're trying to do too much. From now on, you have to let me do the lifting, all right?' she said.

'B-but I w-want to do it' Hope stuttered, her lower lip trembling. 'And Dad said he wanted to get started on the mural tomorrow night.'

'And he will' Sara reassured her. 'If there's stuff in the way, he can move it himself. The last thing your dad wants is for you to overexert yourself.'

Hope ran her hand alongside the bottom of her stomach and winced.

Sara placed her hand on top of her daughter's. 'What's the matter, sweetie?' she asked, concerned.

'Nothing… its just… it pulls' Hope complained.

'It's normal, honey' Sara said. 'Just don't push yourself so hard, okay?'

Hope looked at her mom with concern and Sara could see tears threatening to fall. Sara kneeled down on the floor in front of Hope and took a deep, cleansing breath, walking the fine line between giving unsolicited - albeit well intentioned - advice or having her head bitten off for interfering.

'Hope, do you think maybe you're trying to do too much? You know, the third trimester is tough - you feel heavier and you tire more easily' she said, wiping a tear which had escaped onto her daughter's cheek. 'Have you given any thought to cutting down your hours at the gallery?'

Hope's face hardened and she pouted, reminding Sara of a three year old, defiant little dark haired girl from years ago. 'Did Cam put you up to this?' Hope asked, defiant.

'Of course not, sweetie. I love you and, in case you've forgotten, I _have_ been pregnant a couple of times myself' she reminded her, her tone conciliatory.

Hope smiled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. 'I know… I'm sorry. I guess I've been a little touchy lately.'

'You think?' her mom replied sarcastically with a matching smile.

'Was that Daddy? On the phone?' Hope asked, changing the subject.

'Yeah, Liam's team won and he and Uncle Peter are headed home first thing in the morning' she explained.

Hope nodded and sniffled. 'That's good. Cam and I were thinking of going to one of his playoff games. I think they start this week.'

'That would be nice' Sara responded. 'Maybe we could all go and surprise him - and bring Cody along. We could have a nice family dinner… we haven't done that in a long time.'

Hope smiled, her little hormone flare-up seemingly forgotten. 'Yeah, that'd be great' she agreed.

'Now' Sara declared, getting to her feet. 'Why don't you sit there and tell me where you want me to move the rest of this stuff?'

'All right' Hope agreed reluctantly. 'On one condition, you let me make us some tea without getting on my case.'

'Deal!' Sara said.

WCWCWC

Peter woke to the sound of Neal's insistent knocking on his hotel room door. He staggered to the door, half asleep, cursing as he stubbed his little toe on the corner of the bed in the darkened room.

'What?' he said, frustrated as he opened the door to find Neal dressed and ready to go.

'Good morning to you too!' Neal responded, stepping in and flooding the room with light.

'Sorry' Peter replied, hopping on one foot to return to the edge of the bed. 'I just stubbed my goddamn toe!'

Neal frowned, giving him a look of empathy. 'What time is it anyway?' Peter added, his voice rough.

'It's 8:30. Didn't we say we'd try to be on the road by 9?' Neal asked, taking a seat on the other bed.

'Whatever…' Peter grumbled, rubbing his foot. 'Fine. Go down and get some coffee and I'll hop in the shower and be down in ten minutes.'

True to his word, Peter appeared ten minutes later, looking a lot calmer and relaxed in a pair of blue jeans and a purple polo shirt. The two men had a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs and were at the desk checking out at five minutes past nine.

The journey back to New York was much calmer than the trip upstate, due mostly to the fact that Peter had pretty well depleted all of the junk food he'd brought for the road trip. But nevertheless, Neal noticed his buddy was in high-spirits, likely due to the case they were embarking on.

'What's the hurry, anyway?' Peter asked once they'd hit the highway.

'I promised Hope I would get started on that mural in the baby's room today. If my last effort is any indication, I might not have time to finish before the baby gets here.'

'Well, in all fairness, the last time you were keeping it a secret from Sara and working on it after she was asleep' Peter reminded him.

'True, but I don't want to be over there interfering in Cam and Hope's lives - I have to work when it's convenient for them' Neal said.

Peter looked over at his best friend who was concentrating on the road ahead. 'So, do you want to talk about it?' he asked.

'Talk about what?' Neal attempted without success.

'Nice try Neal. You've been quieter than a church mouse since you got together with Liam yesterday. What it is that's got you so worried?'

Neal glanced over at Peter and sighed. It was time to share his burden with his best friend; maybe Peter would have some advice to help Neal cope with the stress and worry.

'Liam's been getting threatening e-mails' Neal finally admitted, his voice quiet.

'Threatening?' Peter repeated louder. 'Threatening how?'

'Homophobic… crap' Neal said, his voice suddenly angry. ' _Go home you fag. Pansies have no place on the basketball team. Watch your back. Accidents happen to fairies like you_. Need I go on?'

'Oh, shit!' Peter exclaimed. 'Poor kid. He doesn't need that.'

Neal kept his eyes on the road, making it difficult for Peter to read into his thoughts. But he could see Neal's body tensing as he spoke, his shoulders taut, his jaw stiff, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. Neal could take a lot of crap when it involved him - over the years, he'd been teased, lambasted, criticized, made fun of but when it came to one of his kids… well, Neal's protective instincts kicked in and he pulled out his daddy claws, prepared to go to the mat for them without hesitation.

Neal shook his head; he still couldn't believe this was happening to such a sweet, gentle soul - a young man who never uttered a cross word to anyone.

'It's playing with his head and he starts his exams this week' Neal continued.

'So what's he going to do about it?' Peter asked.

'He's going to start by meeting with his academic counsellor tomorrow. See if they can get to the bottom of who's doing this.'

Peter looked thoughtful for a moment. 'Do you think it might be one of his teammates?' he asked, horrified at the thought. 'What with getting named captain and everything.'

'Liam doesn't think so but… we all know people can put up a front when they need to' Neal replied. 'The thought did cross my mind that it might be that guy Liam dated for a while last year.'

'Oh yeah, that Todd guy?' Peter said.

Neal nodded; he still hadn't completely discounted that theory. Peter had never met the guy but he'd heard plenty about him from Neal during that six month period: all those things he would never have dared say directly to his son or share with his wife.

'He _did_ sound like a bit of a whack job' Peter concurred.

Neal looked intently at the road ahead. 'I trust Liam's instincts and… well, he doesn't think the guy would do anything like this.'

Peter glanced over at his buddy, feeling the anger radiating off of him. 'Sounds like Liam has a plan for dealing with it, though' he ventured only to get an icy stare from Neal. 'But I know how hard this must be for you, seeing Liam go through something like that.'

Neal relaxed a little in response to Peter's last comment. 'Does Sara know?' Peter asked.

Neal gave him a look of exasperation Peter could only interpret as 'no' and he decided the time might be right for a change of subject.

'When do you want to get started on the Sterling Bosch case?' he asked.

It took a minute for Neal to shake off thoughts of Liam but his body seemed to relax and he let out a heavy breath. 'We should be getting the list of all the employees who've been fired tomorrow. I think we should start there. Do you think Jones would help us with background checks on some of these ex-employees?' he asked.

'I'm sure if we ask nicely…' Peter said with a grin.

'Then there's this old friend of Winston Bosch's who the old man double-crossed. We should find out how that old grudge might be playing out.'

'Maybe we can pay the guy a little visit' Peter suggested.

'And I want to get back in to see Bosch. There's definitely something else he's not telling us' Neal added as Peter's face lit up.

Getting back to work was definitely getting his blood pumping and he couldn't wait to get started. Neal looked over, noticing the smile on Peter's face, that smile he always got when he had a nice juicy case on the go. It would be nice to work together again. With the two of them snooping around, whoever was messing with Sterling Bosch didn't stand a chance.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Elizabeth came down the stairs to find Peter sitting at their dining room table, speaking softly into the phone.

'I know they'd really love it if you could come' she heard him say as she made a detour into the kitchen to grab her half finished cup of tea.

She watched Peter reach for the laptop and begin to type something in and she took a seat across from him, studying his face.

'What about if you _flew_ out?' he said as he glanced up at his wife. 'It's an hour and a half flight and we could pick you up at the airport. And of course, El and I insist you stay with us.'

El watched as Peter scribbled the words 'Ken and Ginette' on a scrap of paper and turned it towards her.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded in agreement. They hadn't seen Ken and Ginette Murphy since their last trip to Ohio three summers before. Ken was getting on in age and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to travel but Ginette, who was a few years younger, was still very spry and active. El watched Peter's animated face as he spoke on the phone, trying to convince his old friend and mentor from Quantico to join the festivities for Neal and Sara's renewal ceremony.

If she was being perfectly honest with herself, El had to admit she hadn't seen much excitement or enthusiasm on her husband's face over the past few months. He'd been quiet and reflective since he'd stopped working and she'd attributed his quiet demeanour to him being content and finally learning to relax after years of dealing with stress and responsibilities. Her heart to heart with Hope had forced her to consider another possible explanation; maybe Peter wasn't all that thrilled to be retired, maybe he _did_ miss the routine and the day to day pace of working at the Raphael and maybe, just maybe, as Hope had suggested, he was just bored to death of being home all day, every day.

When Hope had first approached her, Elizabeth had been slightly miffed and frankly, a little defensive - Hope knew nothing of what it was like to grow older and have to slow down the pace. But once she'd been left on her own to ruminate, El had realized that their goddaughter didn't have any hidden agenda; she just wanted them both to be happy and she'd been perceptive enough to pick up vibes from her uncle Peter, vibes which El had chosen to ignore. She'd had no idea Peter had been feeling lonely and trapped by his recent retirement and she felt a pang of guilt as she thought of her role in getting him to finally stop working full time.

'I understand' Peter said into the phone. 'Why don't you just think about it and we can talk in a few days. You know, there's lots to do here in New York during the summer and El and I would love to be your tour guides.'

'I'll tell her' he added, finishing up.

'Well?' Elizabeth asked.

'I got a definite maybe' Peter replied, looking disappointed. 'He sounded so… old' he said, for lack of a better word.

'Well, honey, he is well into his eighties' Elizabeth reminded him.

Peter sighed. 'I hate to think of him getting older. He was always this big, strapping guy… you know… he was my hero.'

El smiled softly, watching the memories dancing in her husband's eyes.

'Maybe I can call Ginette later this week and see if I can convince them to come' she volunteered.

Peter remained reflective and she wondered what was on his mind, besides Ken Murphy getting older. His face changed suddenly, passion appearing in his eyes.

'Hon, guess what? I forgot to tell you. Neal asked me to work on a case with him' he said, his face brightening.

'A case? What kind of case?' she asked, curious.

'Old man Bosch has asked him and Sara to investigate some unresolved thefts over at Sterling Bosch' he explained.

She could see the unrestrained excitement on his face. 'Do you _want_ to do it?'

'Yeah!' he said without hesitation, stopping suddenly to tone it down a notch. 'If _you're_ okay with it, that is.'

She smiled; she must wield a pretty big stick if he was so concerned about upsetting her. Her hand reached out for his. ' _Of course_ I don't mind, honey. If you want to do this, I'm all for it.'

His smile grew in response as he began to explain some of the details of the case, obviously thrilled to be diving into some mysterious circumstances that needed unraveling.

Once he was done, she touched his hand in support. 'You know, honey… I only want you to be happy' she said with all the sincerity she could muster. 'I just… I worry about you overdoing it sometimes and I thought you would appreciate slowing down and taking the time to smell the roses.'

'You know El, I've always been a multi-tasker' he said patiently. 'I can walk and chew gum at the same time… and I can work on a case and still find time to smell the roses.'

She stood and made her way to his side of the table, bringing her arms around his shoulders and placing a kiss on his cheek. 'You are a very smart man, Peter Burke.'

WCWCWC

Neal drove home as the sun was setting, cranking up the music to keep his eyelids from drooping. It had been a long day - one that had begun miles away from home - and he was exhausted and eager to get home to his wife… and his bed. Despite the flurry of activity, he'd had difficulty keeping his mind off Liam's troubles and second guessing whether he should have stayed behind for a couple more days. When he'd finally gotten home at around two in the afternoon, he'd barely taken the time to change his clothes before heading right back out to Hope and Cam's place to make a start on the mural he'd promised them. He wanted to give a full coat of the pale green background before getting started on the mural itself and he wanted to run his final design past the new parents before getting started. He could tell Sara had been anxious to hear about his visit with Liam but, to her credit, she hadn't brought it up, knowing full well that as soon as they got more than two minutes alone, Neal would fill her in on whatever was troubling their son.

Once over at Cam and Hope's apartment, Neal had lost track of time and he'd gotten to work on the couple's second bedroom while his daughter and son-in-law finished up their busy Sunday at the gallery. They'd been surprised to find him still there when they'd finally made it home, carrying a couple of take-out containers and Hope had been thrilled to see what her dad had in store for the baby's room. Neal had refused their offer of dinner but now, he was starved and he was eager to get home to Sara, have a bite to eat and finally fill her in on the details of his trip to Syracuse.

Seeing Hope so happy did his heart good, especially after the heartbreak he'd felt at what Liam was having to endure. He hadn't shared Liam's woes with his daughter; since her accident, she didn't do very well with stress and with her pregnancy in the later stages, she needed to remain calm and focussed. Truth was, she'd had enough heartache to last a lifetime and she deserved nothing but sunshine and puppies for the rest of her life - and Neal was going to make sure that's what she got.

He felt his stomach rumble as he got closer to home and he realized he hadn't eaten since the breakfast he'd shared with Peter up in Syracuse. He reached out to activate the bluetooth in the car and waited for someone back in White Plains to pick up. Sara's voice came on over the speaker, eliciting a soft smile on his part.

'Hi' she said, her voice full and throaty. 'Are you on your way back?'

'Yeah…' Neal replied, sounding uncharacteristically tired.

'You all right?' she cooed. 'You sound exhausted.'

Neal ignored the question and focussed on the reason for his call.

'Honey, can you do something for me?' he asked, his voice rough.

'Of course.'

'I'm starved… can you make me a tuna fish sandwich? Toasted… with mayo, celery and apples…'

'Sure. And onions?' Sara asked, knowing how her husband usually liked his tuna fish sandwiches.

Neal grinned, eyes focussed on the road up ahead. 'That depends. What are the chances of me getting lucky tonight?'

He heard her chuckle on the other end. 'All right, onions it is' she teased. 'Let's leave the question of whether or not you're going to get lucky for later.'

'Thanks Repo. I'll be there in about twenty minutes' Neal said, his voice weary.

Sara couldn't remember the last time Neal had asked her to make him something to eat; he had to be exhausted - and starved - to call ahead with such a request. Her repertoire in the kitchen had never been very extensive but one night, early in their marriage, he'd raved about the tuna fish sandwich she'd prepared for him and she'd been making them for him ever since.

She reached for a bowl in the cupboard and began gathering the few ingredients needed to prepare the sandwich. They hadn't had five minutes to talk since he'd gotten back from his road trip and she was looking forward to hearing about Liam as well as sharing what had been happening on the home front during the weekend.

She proceeded to cut up an apple, some celery and onions and she threw everything in with the tuna before reaching for some mayo and dijon mustard, mixing everything together the way she knew Neal liked. As anxious as she was to hear what was happening with Liam, part of her was nervous about finding out what had their son so rattled. She was suddenly reminded of something she'd heard her grandmother say to her mom when she'd been just a little girl: ' _Little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems'._

Liam was a level-headed young man who'd been living on his own, away from home, for almost two years. Since he'd moved to Syracuse, he'd shown his parents he was capable of standing on his own two feet and more than able to make responsible decisions. He'd been getting consistently good grades and he'd continued to excel on the university's basketball team, making them both very proud of his accomplishments.

He was wise beyond his years, having been forced to learn some hard lessons about love and acceptance as he'd gotten older and even the realization that not everyone could be trusted had not tarnished his beautiful, loving, gentle soul.

Sara moved around the kitchen by rote, cutting up some cucumber and carrot sticks and setting them down on a plate before returning to put some pumpernickel bread in the toaster. She poured Neal a glass of milk and placed it on the placemat next to the linen napkin. On a whim, she reached into the cupboard and pulled out a couple of votive candles and lit them, grinning at the amusing image of Neal munching on a plain old tuna fish sandwich in the candlelit kitchen. She'd just finished putting everything out when she heard the front door open and suddenly, there he stood, her husband of twenty-five years looking haggard and badly in need of a comforting hug.

'Smells good in here' he said as he put down all of his art supplies by the basement stairs.

He laughed at the sight of the kitchen, dimly lit with the candles burning alongside his modest meal.

'You're crazy!' he said in jest, moving in to give her a quick hug.

Sara latched on to him, bringing her arms up around his neck and letting her hands caress his thick head of hair and she brought her face to rest in the crook of his neck. Although taken aback by the intensity of her embrace, Neal was only too happy to go with it; he brought his arms around to circle her waist, letting her set the pace, holding on tightly, his hands moving up and down her back and realizing he was in no hurry to let go.

'This is a nice welcome' he murmured as she scoffed and pulled away.

'I hadn't realized how much I missed you until just now' she said quietly.

Neal brought his hand to linger on her cheek for a brief instant. 'I should definitely go away more often' he teased as she gave him a playful swat on the arm.

He took a seat and looked down at the feast before him, diving in with enthusiasm. He took a couple of bites and grinned at her.

'Mmmmm. Onions… I guess that answers my earlier question' he murmured with a naughty grin.

'You never know, Caffrey' she replied, wagging her eyebrows and watching him devour the sandwich with gusto.

She let him finish up, filling him in on some of the preparations for the upcoming ceremony as well as the few responses that had begun to trickle in.

He popped the last bite into his mouth and sat back, satisfied, finally taking a breath. 'How come you haven't hounded me about Liam yet?' he asked, watching the worry reappear on her face.

Sara looked away and sighed. 'I guess part of me is afraid to know what's been going on…'

Neal leaned forward, moving the placemat to one side and her reached for her hand as Sara's eyes moved up to meet his. 'Are he and Cody breaking up? Is that it?' she asked, the first thing that had popped into her head.

'No' Neal replied, shaking his head.

He didn't have time to give much more of a response before Sara continued, her face tense. 'He's not sick is he? Is he having trouble managing his sugar levels.'

'No, honey, he's _not_ sick' Neal was quick to respond as he squeezed her hand. 'He's fine.'

He hesitated for a moment, careful to choose his words wisely - wanting to bring her in the loop without alarming her.

'He's been getting some… flack' he began, weighing his words carefully.

'What kind of…' she asked as she began to read between the lines. 'You're kidding. He's being harassed?'

'He received a couple of anonymous e-mails, that's all.'

'W-well, what did they say exactly?'

Neal shrugged, trying not to overdramatize, as per Liam's request. 'You know… the usual… ' _fags don't belong on the basketball team'_ … stupid stuff like that.'

'But why now?' Sara asked. 'Did something happen?'

'No, not as far as he can tell. Honey, it happens. You know that' Neal said, clasping her hand tightly in his.

Despite the soft lighting, he could see lines forming on her forehead and he felt her hand go limp.

'Were they _threatening_ e-mails?' she asked.

Of course, she would have to ask a direct question without any wiggle room and he was tempted to say something glib like _'define threatening'_ but he refrained, knowing such a light hearted response would go over like a lead balloon.

'Honey, you know how vague those things can be; it's just someone being… mean spirited. I doubt anyone would ever act on them.'

Sara didn't look particularly reassured by his answer. 'What's he going to do? Is he going to report it to the university?'

'He's going to start by meeting with his academic counsellor tomorrow' Neal explained, rubbing her hand absent-mindedly.

Sara nodded, her look vacant. 'Do you think we should be there… with him?'

'I offered to stay but you know Liam… He wants to do this on his own… in his own, quiet way. He promised to call us and let us know how things went.'

There was silence as Sara took it all in.

'Sara…' Neal said, breaking the silence. 'We raised an amazing kid. He's strong and he's resilient and… he's so smart. And so much wiser than we were at his age. He just wants to handle this in his own way without any… drama.'

She nodded but the lines on her forehead remained, deeply etched. Neal stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders as if to ground her and he felt her relax in response to his loving touch. He rubbed her shoulders gently and she let her head fall back, looking up at him upside down.

'I'm glad you were there for him' she murmured in the quiet house.

He brought his lips down to kiss the top of her head, letting his arms envelop her. 'Me too. Now, would you mind if I turn in, I'm wiped and I want to get started on the case first thing in the morning.'

Sara nodded. 'Do you mind if I join you?' she asked coyly.

WCWCWC

'Is Caitlin home?' Neal asked as he stepped into the bedroom to find his wife busy on the laptop, reading glasses on the tip of her nose.

'Yeah, she's been up in her room studying most of the day' Sara responded without removing her eyes from the computer screen.

Neal slipped on a pair of sleep pants, his body still buff despite having hit the sixty-year-old mark eighteen months before. Sara pretended not to stare but he caught her and grinned.

'Like what you see there, Mrs. Caffrey' he asked as he slipped into bed next to her.

'Maybe' she said dismissively as she returned to the computer screen.

Neal moved closer, the sound of paper rustling beneath him. 'What's this?' he asked, picking up a stack of papers she'd left by his pillow. He squinted but without the benefit of his glasses, it was for naught.

'Mr. Bosch sent over the list of staff which have been fired over the last ten years. Thirty-four employees' she added with emphasis. 'Be careful what you wish for, Caffrey.'

He grunted; that was an awful lot of background checks to carry out.

'I went over it and highlighted the ones I remember being the most contentious' she added smugly.

'Well, aren't you helpful' Neal teased as he set the pile of papers onto his bedside table. He brought his arms up around Sara's waist and rested his head on her chest as he let out a satisfied sigh.

'Oh, my God. Finally!' Sara exclaimed as she read. 'There's been a lead on Mrs. Matthew's cameo brooch.'

Neal looked up at her animated face.

'Do you think you and Peter could get started without me?' she asked. 'Mozzie says he's heard whispers about a cameo brooch showing up on the market.'

'Mozzie?' Neal repeated. Apparently, his wife never seemed to learn her lesson. 'I thought you weren't going to take any more leads from Moz after what happened last time.'

She shrugged. 'This is… different' she argued.

Neal moved away and frowned. 'No, it's not. Babe, it never seems to end well when you take a lead from Moz' he reminded her.

She closed the laptop with a flourish which Neal could only interpret as an end to the discussion. His suspicions were confirmed when she moved on to another topic.

'Caitlin met with her mom yesterday' she confided, putting the laptop away and slipping in under the covers.

Neal knew all too well that Caitlin's encounters with her mom were hit and miss propositions. 'Oh, yeah? How did it go _this_ time?'

'Disaster' Sara replied. 'I found her crying in her room when she got back.'

'Poor kid. I really don't understand why she persists in trying to have a relationship with that… horrible woman' Neal said, his voice growing angry.

Sara rolled her eyes. Caitlin had seen Neal go from a long, antagonistic cold war with his own mom to a happy, loving relationship with her over the last few years of her life. 'Really Neal? You don't _know_ why?' she countered.

Neal sighed loudly. 'Well, not everyone can be Linda Bennett' he admitted. 'I guess Caitlin is finding that out the hard way.'

'How was Hope feeling tonight? She looked really tired when I was over there last night and she was complaining about her belly itching' Sara said, hands moving to caress Neal's chest.

'She seemed okay… but then again, she never wants me to worry about her' Neal quipped. His daughter had felt partly responsible for his descent into a very deep depression following her accident and it frustrated Neal to no end that she tended to keep things from him sometimes, to spare him any further anguish.

Sara took Neal's hand and brought it to rest at the bottom of her trim belly, something that seemed to brighten his mood.

'Remember when I was pregnant and you used to rub my belly with moisturizer when my skin pulled and stretched?'

Neal grinned; he'd loved Sara's pregnancies from beginning to end, watching her body change and knowing their precious baby was growing inside her.

'Mmmm' he murmured as his lips moved to nuzzle her neck. His hand travelled south of her belly and Sara giggled at how easily Neal Caffrey took advantage of every opportunity he was afforded.

'You're terrible' she moaned which Neal understood to mean _'That feels amazing!'_ and his lips moved to her mouth, his breath nice and tingly - no sign of any onions there.

'Nice…' she whispered when he momentarily pulled away. 'Minty, fresh breath.'

'Leave nothing to chance, that's my motto' he murmured, his voice growing rough.

'Looks like it might pay off for you tonight, Caffrey' she responded to his wide grin.

WCWCWC

Liam rolled over and checked the time: 5:45 and he still hadn't slept a wink. He picked up his pillow and threw it in the direction of Josh Monteith's bed all the way across the room, momentarily interrupting the snoring coming from that direction and causing the young man to turn over and grow silent.

There was no point in tossing and turning any longer, Liam concluded and he slipped out of bed and ambled over to the bathroom and straight into the shower. Thankfully, his appointment was at 10:00 and he would know soon enough what his recourse might be - should he choose to follow up on the nasty e-mails he'd received. On his dad's advice, he'd called Cody the night before to fill him on what had been happening and he'd done his best to downplay the gravity of the situation although there was no fooling Cody Miller. As head of the GSA at their high school, Cody had been the target of many barbs and threats over the years and he'd weathered such challenges with class and dignity. Liam was determined to do the same and he promised Cody to call him as soon as the meeting ended to let him know how it had gone.

By 9:45, Liam was alone in his dorm room, assembling his documents and checking himself out in the mirror. He'd only met briefly with Andrea Matthews on a couple of occasions, once when he'd first arrived and another time when he needed advice on which of two courses to enrol in. She'd seemed kind and helpful and she'd asked him if he was having any other issues - a not-so-veiled reference to his status as a gay man on campus. He wasn't certain how she'd known but she had been respectful and he'd appreciated her asking if he needed any support.

Her office was across campus and he wanted to give himself plenty of time so he picked up his small briefcase and took a deep breath, stepping out of his room into the dorm hallway to the busy sounds of university life resonating loudly around him.

He'd taken a few steps towards the back door of the residence when he heard his name being called rather frantically. Liam turned towards the familiar voice and saw Cody running down the hall towards him, breathless and looking like he hadn't slept much himself.

'Cody!? What the hell…' he began as Cody finally reached him and gave him a bearhug.

'I thought… I thought I'd missed you' he said breathlessly.

'What? I told you I was fine' Liam said, a wide grin appearing on his face as he spoke.

'And you are' Cody said bringing his arm around his boyfriend. 'But is that smile on your face for this advisor of yours or for me?' he added, cocky.

'All right. I admit it… I'm glad to see you' Liam relented.

'Come on. We can catch up later. We've got a meeting to go to' Cody said, taking his hand.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The student dining lounge was practically deserted, not surprising for a Monday morning at 10:45. The lunch crowd would be trickling in anytime now but, for the moment, Liam and Cody were amongst a mere handful of students and they made their way over to a quiet table towards the back, their food trays in hand.

'Are you really going to eat all that?' Cody asked as he pointed across the table to his boyfriend's plate overflowing with eggs, bacon, a double order of toast and home fries.

'Yeah!' Liam responded as if the question was ridiculous.

Cody shook his head in disbelief and reached for the bagel smothered in cream cheese that sat before him. His boyfriend, who, an hour earlier had seemed anxious, now sat across from him looking much more like his old relaxed self.

'I'm a growing boy' Liam said with a gleam in his eye.

'Well, I have to admit you're looking a lot better than when I first got here' Cody commented.

'I'm relieved; it's out of my hands now' Liam replied. 'All we can do is wait while they investigate and then I'll be able to… carry on living my life.'

'But be careful in the meantime' Cody warned as Liam scowled. 'Just in case.'

Liam shovelled a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth and washed it down with a large gulp of orange juice.

'I never really believed anyone was out to hurt me' he said. 'Whoever is doing this is just trying to… get inside my head and put me off my game.'

Cody reached over the table for Liam's hand - the one that wasn't busy grabbing for a piece of toast. 'Babe, please. You need to take this seriously.'

Liam lay down his fork and brought his steady gaze up to look into Cody's deep brown eyes. 'Cody, I know you worry about me but this is our life. Some stuff we can fight but… other stuff… well, it's just easier to let it go.'

'No, that's not true, Liam' Cody responded, his voice growing more passionate. 'We have rights and we need to assert them or… we'll lose them.'

Liam sighed and pulled his hand away from Cody's grasp as a chatty group of girls wandered by and settled at a nearby table.

'I'm not interested in picking a fight with every homophobic idiot on the planet' Liam said. 'I just… I'm not _like_ you, Cody. I don't want to be a poster boy for gay rights.'

Cody swallowed as he listened. Contrary to Liam, he'd always been a strong advocate - ever since their high school days when he'd led the fight for respect and equality by heading up the school's Gay Straight Alliance.

'Liam, I'm just like you and every other gay man. I want to live my life in peace but when something gets in the way, you have to fight back—'

'No' Liam said louder than he'd meant to. He looked around and, seeing that no one was paying them any mind, he continued. 'Cody… _you_ need to fight back. That's _your_ thing. I hate the politics of it, you know that. I'll stand up for myself when I need to but I have no interest in waving a flag or marching in a parade. I just… I want to concentrate on living my life, that's all.'

Cody seemed frustrated and Liam grudgingly returned to his late morning breakfast. They'd had this discussion many times before and had always agreed to disagree.

'If it wasn't for the people who came before us and who stood up and fought, we wouldn't have the rights we have. Now, we can get married, have a family…' Cody argued.

'A lot of good that does us' Liam replied, staring intensely into his boyfriend's eyes. 'You can't change attitudes and beliefs, Cody. There may be laws to protect us but it can't protect us from the stares and the snide remarks.'

Cody shook his head in disbelief. 'Where's all this coming from, anyway?'

Liam looked away, unwilling to be scrutinized. 'Cody, I'm tired of fighting for our rights. I just want to study hard, get my degree and play basketball. Is that so hard to understand? I don't want to fight and debate and argue and stand up for gay rights…'

His gaze softened and this time, despite the table full of giggly girls nearby, it was he who reached for Cody's hand. 'I just want to be with you.'

Cody nodded and remained silent; they would always be different in that way and the truth was that Liam Caffrey's quiet strength was one of the things he loved most about him.

'I've got a surprise for you' he said after a few moments of silence.

Liam looked at him, puzzled, and shrugged. 'A surprise?'

'Yeah, I've got my bag in the car. If you want, I can stay over and be there tomorrow night when you beat the shit out of Colgate.'

'Yeah?' Liam said, a big grin on his face. 'What about studying for your exams?'

'This is a university campus. I'm pretty sure I can find somewhere to study.'

Liam's smile grew; he'd had a rocky start to his day but things were definitely looking up.

WCWCWC

'Oops. I think I smeared your lipstick' Neal said with a naughty grin as he pulled away from his wife - not sounding the least bit sorry.

'Great!' Sara responded sarcastically as she wriggled out of Neal's arms and reached for her purse on the nearby kitchen chair.

She pulled out a mirror, carefully reapplying a fresh coat of Estée Lauder's 'Irresistible Plum' and turned towards Neal, intent on making her point.

'You promise you'll let me know if you hear anything before I do' she repeated for the second time.

'Promise' Neal replied as he returned his hands to her hips and manoeuvred her around to face him once again.

Sara's eyes narrowed, looking sternly at Neal's amused face. 'Because if you forg—'

Neal cut her off with another kiss, his lips curling up in a smile as they pressed firmly against hers, effectively shutting her up - and messing up her carefully applied lipstick.

'Damn it, Neal. Would you _please_ stop—'

He interrupted her by doing it again and this time, she broke out laughing, her nagging worries finally dissipating.

'I've got to get to work' she giggled. She was still tangled up in Neal's arms when a knock was heard at the front door.

'Who the hell is that?' she asked as she stepped out of his grasp and grabbed for her handbag and briefcase.

'Could be Peter' Neal called out as he made his way to the front door. 'We're working from here this morning.'

'At ten after seven on a Monday morning?' she asked, following on his heels as she prepared to head out the door.

The door opened to Peter, standing on the doorstep looking like a little kid, rocking back and forth on his heels with a goofy grin on his face.

'Peter!' Neal said as he stood there in his pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt. 'I guess when I said 'first thing' you took it pretty literally.'

'Hi!' Peter chirped. 'Am I _too_ early?'

Sara came barrelling behind Neal and gave her husband a tap on the bum on her way past him, unwilling to risk messing up her makeup again.

'Later' she called out. 'Good luck you two; I'll check in with you at lunch and see how you're doing.'

'Well, well, aren't you the early bird' Neal teased as he led Peter into the kitchen. 'Nobody can accuse you of not being… a keener.'

'I wanted to make sure to avoid the traffic' Peter responded, settling in at the kitchen table.

Neal gave him a look of skepticism. 'You know Peter, that's not usually an issue coming _to_ the suburbs in the morning.'

Peter's excellent mood couldn't be dampened and he began poking around the Caffrey kitchen. 'I don't suppose there's a chance of getting a cappuccino before we get started?' he asked eagerly.

Neal chuckled. 'Yes, Sherlock, you can have a cappuccino… if you give me a few minutes to shower and dress.'

Peter gave him a satisfied grin, looking happier than Neal had seen him look in weeks. 'I'm Sherlock? I thought for sure _you'd_ want to be Sherlock.'

Neal ignored him; he wasn't sure he could handle overly upbeat Peter - at least until he'd had his first cup of coffee.

Peter studied his best friend's face. 'You've got… something on your mouth' he said, pointing.

Neal grinned and brought his hand to his lips, wiping off the excess lipstick with a grin. 'Just… irresistible plum' he replied as Peter stared back, clueless.

'I'll be back' Neal shouted as he headed for the stairs. 'There are muffins on the counter, help yourself.'

Peter wagged his eyebrows as his smile grew; what more could a guy want to start the day but a juicy case to sink his teeth into, a frothy cappuccino and to top it all off, a homemade blueberry muffin.

WCWCWC

The sound of voices and laughter could be heard through the dorm room door when Liam and Cody returned shortly after lunch. The two men stepped in to find not only Josh Monteith but Brian Henderson and Kevin Cooper, two other guys from the basketball team as well as Kevin's girlfriend who Liam knew simply as Julie.

'Hey, you guys having a party or what?' Liam asked as he stepped in, followed by Cody.

Everyone's eyes turned to look at the newcomer and they nodded in recognition. Everybody on the team knew Cody Miller by sight and they knew he was Liam's boyfriend from New York - although they had never been properly introduced.

'You guys remember my boyfriend?' Liam said. 'Cody, this is Brian and Kevin and… it's Julie, right?' he added, addressing the pretty blonde.

They all smiled and Liam walked over to his desk to gather his things for his one o'clock class. He could feel Josh's eyes on the back of his head, probably anxious to hear how his meeting had gone.

'Are you staying over tonight?' Josh asked Cody.

'Yeah… I was thinking of getting a room at the hotel up the street' Cody said.

'No, don't be silly. I'm sure I can bunk in with one of these boneheads' he said, pointing to the two other young men. 'Let you guys use the room.'

Cody was just about to decline the offer when Kevin, the taller of the two young men spoke up. 'My roomie's away. You're welcome to crash with me tonight' he said as his girlfriend looked on.

Cody and Liam exchanged looks. 'Thanks Kev' Liam said. 'That's great.'

'Oh, and you're not going to need those' Josh said, pointing to the armful of books Liam was carrying. 'The coach wants to see you.'

'But I've got an economics class in half an hour' Liam replied.

'Not today' Josh said. 'He's calling the professor to let him know.'

Liam shrugged; since taking on the role of captain, he was often called in by the coaching staff prior to games. They would try to get him on side, fill him in on their expectations for the upcoming game and check in with him to make sure all the guys were in the right frame of mind. He'd become their ear to the ground and they relied on him to keep them posted about anything that might have an impact on his teammates' performances. Luckily, as a member of the Orange, Liam had certain privileges, like being excused from classes on occasion and having someone take notes for him when he couldn't attend.

'All right' he said with a shrug as he glanced at Cody.

'A bunch of us are going to the concert in the Commons tonight' Brian Henderson said. 'You two want to come?'

Liam and Cody shared a passing glance, silently checking in with each other. 'Yeah, sure' Liam answered on their behalf.

'Catch you later' the young man said as he prepared to leave with Kevin and his girlfriend.

Once the three of them were alone, Josh sat on the edge of the bed, looking from Cody to Liam, eager to find out how things had gone.

'So?' he said, expectantly.

'She was really chill' Liam said. 'She thinks they can figure out whose account those e-mails came from.'

'Great!' Josh said, looking relieved. 'If you want to bring it forward at the next student faculty meeting…'

'No, no. It's fine, thanks. Ms. Matthews will get back to me as soon as they have something.'

'Are you sure you don't want to tell the coaches about it?' Josh asked, worried.

'You meant you haven't told them?' Cody asked.

Liam looked away. 'I'm sure it isn't anybody from the team' he muttered.

Cody and Josh exchanged looks. 'You might be right but… what if it was and they decided to… act on their threats' Josh said.

Cody's face darkened but Liam scoffed in response to the idea; it was ridiculous to think he could come to any harm from the teammates he'd learned to trust. He knew he wouldn't hear the end of it if he didn't at least pretend to play along.

'I'll think about it' he said, the best he could do.

WCWCWC

'Mozzie, why can't you just tell me over the phone?' Sara asked from her desk at Sterling Bosch.

'The airwaves are rife with prying ears' he replied in his usual cryptic manner.

'Fine' Sara said with a loud sigh. 'I'll meet you at the coffee shop but I don't have a whole lot of time.'

'Just meet me at our regular table in twenty minutes' Mozzie said. 'And don't forget… you know.'

'Mozzie, I think I have something better than an advance for you but I promise if this pans out, I'll get you your usual percentage.'

This time it was Mozzie who let out an audible sigh and he hung up, presumably so he could head over to their meeting place on time.

Sara had just turned to grab her purse when there was a light knock on her office door and Lydia Jordan appeared, looking like the cat who swallowed the canary.

'Thought you might like to know I recovered that sapphire necklace that was stolen from the jewelry boutique on 23rd. You were right, it was an inside job - one of the part time staff.'

'Great! Good job' Sara said. 'Write it up and I'll read your report when I get back.'

Lydia seemed to be on the prowl for something, although Sara wasn't quite sure what. 'So, where are you off to in the middle of the day?'

'What? I'm not allowed to go out without your permission?' Sara asked, feigning annoyance.

Lydia was a close friend and confidante but she knew better than to share anything about the mission Mr. Bosh had entrusted her with. He'd been adamant that she was not to discuss it with anyone from her team.

Lydia gave her a dirty look. 'Does this have anything to do with the two mystery meetings you've had with the head honcho?'

Sara shook her head, trying to keep her expression neutral. 'And what would you possibly know about that?'

Lydia got a glint in her eye. 'Jenny is very loyal to you but she gets chatty when you bring her Belgian chocolates.'

'What the hell are you doing plying my assistant with chocolates?' Sara said.

'Come on, Sara. Let me in on it. Has he got you working on some sort of secret mission?' Lydia asked, sounding like a sixteen-year-old wanting to hear about her girlfriend's date with the quarterback of the football team.

'I could help' Lydia pleaded. 'Come on! Please! I'm tired of the same old cases.'

'I have to go out' Sara said, walking past her.

She gave her one last dismissive look on her way out the door. 'And stop snooping.'

WCWCWC

Neal picked up his phone and checked it again, a gesture that wasn't lost on Peter. It was going on lunchtime and they'd been whittling away at the long list of suspects for a few hours, reading about the circumstances surrounding the firings and placing their names on one of three lists: likely, possible and unlikely suspect.

'Why do you keep on checking your phone?' Peter asked.

'Liam's supposed to check in and let me know how his meeting went with his advisor' Neal replied, obviously preoccupied.

Peter nodded in silence.

'Maybe I should have insisted on staying in Syracuse with him' Neal mused.

'I think you know your son better than that' Peter responded with a smile. 'If you'd been there, he would have spent his time worrying about you worrying about him.'

Neal chuckled. It was true. Liam was his own man and he liked to do things his way - his own, understated way. It didn't keep him and Sara from worrying about him though and he was anxious to hear if things had gone well and what sage advice the woman had given him.

'How about I go out and pick up some Chinese food at that place up the street?' Peter suggested.

'And have Elizabeth on my case for letting you carb out?' Neal said with a firm head shake. 'No way. I'll pull something together for us.'

He stood and started poking around the kitchen, looking for a healthy alternative to egg rolls and chicken balls. 'I've got some tofu burgers I can heat up' he offered as Peter moaned.

'Come on Neal, you're killing me here. I've got El on my case 24/7 about this stuff. Can't I get a bit of a break? At least when I worked at the gallery, I could decide what I wanted for lunch without having her veto everything I put in my mouth.'

Neal took pity on his best friend and walked over to the cabinet where they kept their stash of take-out menus.

'All right, we'll order from The Golden Duck but _I_ get to decide - no fried stuff' he relented to Peter's joy.

'Just _one_ egg roll' Peter pleaded as Neal rolled his eyes.

Neal's cell phone rang and he reached for it, leaving Peter to start perusing the take-out menu.

'Liam!' he answered breathlessly. 'How's it going?'

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

'You mean it?' Mozzie said, practically jumping up and down in his chair.

'Yes, I mean it' Sara replied with a warm smile. 'It was Neal's idea and I agree - you're the perfect choice to officiate the ceremony.'

'Wow! Thanks!' the older man said, momentarily at a loss for words.

The silence didn't last long however and before Sara could open her mouth to speak, he was off on a new rant.

'I have _so_ many ideas of readings we could do. There's the one about the crow and the blackbird - an allegory on a happy marriage… oh, and we should definitely talk about tattooing your body with henna like they do in India' he continued without even taking a breath. 'Tattoos symbolize the bride's elegance and beauty. And then, there's the ritual of shaving the bride's head—'

Sara put her hand up in order to get him to stop talking. 'Tell you what Mozzie, why don't you do a little bit of research and then, we can sit down with Neal and see what we like.'

'Excellent!' Mozzie said, standing and rubbing his hands together with glee. 'I'll get right on it.'

He took a few steps towards the door before turning to face her once more, obviously thrilled. He gave her two big thumbs up before continuing on his way.

Sara stared ahead in silence; what had she done?

WCWCWC

Raffie's ears perked up as Peter let out a sensual moan. 'This is amazing' he murmured as he licked his lips.

'Peter, seriously! Can you tone it down a notch? You're making me uncomfortable' Neal said with a scornful glare. 'It's an egg roll for heaven's sake, not a peep show.'

'You have no idea what it's like to have someone scrutinizing _everything_ you eat' Peter lamented.

Neal raised his eyebrows in disbelief and looked down pointedly at the dog who spent most of his life under the table staring at his humans while they ate and praying for the odd scrap of food.

'Well, you'll thank Elizabeth when you're still around to celebrate your fiftieth wedding anniversary' he reminded Peter. 'You know, she only wants what's best for you.'

Peter let out a painfully loud sigh. 'And I love her for it, you know I do…' he said, feeling uneasy about disparaging his wife in front of his best friend. He hesitated for a moment before continuing; he'd been dying to share his feelings with someone and the more time passed, the more he felt like he might burst if he didn't come clean.

'Neal, the truth is… I miss working at the gallery. The excitement of having people around, the beautiful art, the pulse of the city, hanging out with Cameron and Hope… and I miss _you_.'

Neal gave his friend a sad smile. 'I miss you too, Peter but… things change. I'm not at the gallery all that much anymore and…'

'We did have some good times though, didn't we?' Peter interrupted, waxing nostalgic. 'Remember the time the water main up the street broke and we had to empty the place out and have the floors refinished.'

Neal scowled at him. 'Yeah… good times!' he said sarcastically, wagging his eyebrows.

'You know what I mean' Peter rebuked. 'We were in it together back then, the good times and the bad. The rough first few years, watching the gallery blossom and become a success, seeing Hope and Cam fall in love… all of it. I just feel like I'm on the outside looking in these days.'

Neal scoffed and brought his hand to rest on Peter's shoulder. 'You are _not_ on the outside, Peter' he said in an effort to reassure him.

He could see the yearning in Peter's eyes, a look he hadn't seen very often in the thirty odd years he'd known the ex-FBI agent. 'Have you told El how you're feeling?'

Peter shrugged in response. 'I don't want to upset her; she's always had these grandiose plans for us when we retired: traveling the world, enjoying the slower pace… but the truth is, I don't do well with relaxing. It… it stresses me out.'

Neal smiled gently at his best friend's unexpected turn of phrase.

'I like a little more excitement in my life and I love coming home to El, having things to tell her at the end of the day, spending evenings and weekends with her. As it is, I sit around and try to come up with home repairs that need doing or worse yet, I work on my goddamn crossword puzzles.'

'But you _love_ crossword puzzles' Neal reminded him.

His eyes moved up to look at Neal. 'They used to be the highlight of my day, you know, coming home and grabbing a beer and sitting down to a good crossword puzzle. Now, I _hate_ them' he admitted.

'Retirement isn't for everybody' Neal conceded. 'Peter, you need to tell Elizabeth how you really feel. She'd want to know.'

Peter began fussing with tidying up the leftover food as Neal watched him work; he obviously didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Neal got to his feet and took out his phone. 'I'm going to call Sara and tell her what's going on with Liam and then, I have an appointment at the jewellers' he announced. 'I don't think we'll get much more work done today.'

'That's okay' Peter replied, glancing down at the papers strewn across the kitchen table. 'We made a good start.'

Neal's heart went out to his best friend, looking like he'd been kicked in the teeth. 'Look, why don't you tag along? I could use your advice. I'm going to see about getting a wedding present for Sara.'

Peter's face lit up at the thought. 'I don't… I don't want to be in the way.'

'Come on, it'll be fun. Like old times. You can be my Mr. Satchmo' Neal joked, referring to a case from decades ago.

Peter smiled at the memory of the long forgotten case. 'As long as this is a real, honest to goodness jeweller and not some shady guy from your past… and you _don't_ refer to me by my dead dog's name.'

'Oh, believe me, this guy's on the up and up' Neal replied. 'I'm sure I'll have a nice hefty credit card balance by the time I'm done. Can't guarantee I won't be tempted to call you Mr. Satchmo, though.'

Peter smiled broadly, thrilled to be included. 'All right. You're on!'

WCWCWC

Sara was on her way back to the office when her cell phone rang in her purse. Without breaking her stride, she reached in and answered.

'Hey babe' she heard Neal's gentle voice croon in her ear.

She slowed the pace and, spotting a bench by a nearby storefront, she took a seat so she could better concentrate on the conversation.

'Did he call?' she asked, her voice anxious.

'Yeah, he did. He met with his advisor and he showed her the e-mails. She thinks they'll be able to find out where they're coming from.'

Sara let out a slow breath. 'What about in the meantime? Do you think he's in any danger?'

'I don't think so honey, I really don't' Neal said, reiterating what he'd told her the night before. 'I think whoever is doing this is just spiteful and wants to destabilize him somehow.'

'Liam still doesn't want to contact the police?' she asked.

'No, he hasn't budged on that' Neal replied, sensing the tension in his wife's voice. 'For what it's worth, I think he's doing all the right things. At least, now the university has been informed. Oh, and guess what? Cody showed up this morning to be with him. Liam says he left New York at 4:30 in the morning to get there on time.'

'He's such a sweet guy' Sara agreed. 'Why don't we surprise Liam too. Doesn't he have a game tomorrow night?'

'Yeah, first playoff game' Neal confirmed. 'That's a great idea. Do you think Cam and Hope might want to come along?'

'If they can get someone to cover for them at the gallery, I'm sure they would' Sara said.

Neal glanced into the house through the patio door, noticing Peter tidying up the kitchen. 'I might just have someone who would step in on short notice' he said with a devious smile.

'So, how did you two detectives make out this morning?' she asked, referring to their shared case.

'Good, it really helped that you went through the list and highlighted those names for us and by the way, thanks for all your notes - you're very thorough. We've done a first scan and we've narrowed it down to eight or ten more likely suspects. We'll start digging from there. Did you see Mozzie?'

'I did' she replied with a smile as she recalled how excited Mozzie had been. 'I asked him if he wanted to officiate.'

'And?'

'What do you think? He was practically jumping out of his skin. I think we might have to reign him in on some of his ideas though. He said something about the traditional scalping of the bride.'

Neal chuckled. 'Were you expecting anything else?'

'I guess not' Sara admitted.

'So, what did he say about the brooch?' Neal asked.

'He heard through the grapevine that a cameo was coming on the market but I still don't know if it's our missing brooch. He's going to keep me posted.'

'Do you need me to come home and start working with you guys on those background checks?' Sara added.

'No, no' Neal said evasively. 'You… you go back to the office and finish up. We're fine. We might drop in and see Jones later' he fibbed, on the off chance she came home early to find that he and Peter weren't there.

'Okay' she chirped, getting to her feet and resuming the short walk back to Sterling Bosch. 'Love you, Caffrey.'

Neal felt his heart swell at the words he never tired of hearing. 'I love you, Repo' he replied before hanging up.

He wasn't very good at lying to his wife anymore but he knew that, just this time, she would find a way to forgive him.

WCWCWC

It was a fairly busy day at the Raphael, considering it was a Monday. But then again, good weather always brought out a slew of passers-by who stuck their head in for a quick gander - to say nothing of the gallery's loyal customers who could be counted on to drop by.

Cam checked his watch; Hope had gone upstairs to set up a display of Caitlin's latest sculptures and he decided to wander up and check on her.

'I'm just going upstairs for a minute, Mike!' he called out to one of the part-timers.

He turned the corner and prepared the long climb up to the second floor when he noticed Hope sitting on the steps about halfway up.

'Hope!' he called out as he ran up the steps two by two. 'What's the matter sweetie? What's going on?'

She looked up at him and forced a smile. 'Just taking a break' she said breathlessly.

He made his way to sit beside her, his arm reaching around her shoulders. 'What are you talking about, taking a break? What's wrong?'

She knew better than to try to mislead him; he'd just keep hounding her if she didn't come clean. 'I just… I got a cramp—'

'A cramp?' Cam repeated, alarmed. 'You mean like a contraction?'

She shook her head no, then relented. 'I don't know' she said, rubbing her belly. 'Maybe.'

'We should get you to the hospital' he said, getting on his feet.

'N-no!' Hope said, her tone unyielding. 'I'm fine. Cam, I'm only th-th-thirty weeks…'

He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was getting upset. That and her quivering lower lip - another sure sign she might start crying any second - something he'd gotten accustomed to over the course of her pregnancy.

'Sweetie…' he said, taking a seat next to her and taking her hand in his.

'I'm fine' she lied, sniffling. 'Can you help me get up?'

He helped her to her feet and kept his arm around her waist as they slowly descended to the main floor of the gallery where he promptly pulled up a chair and sat her down, crouching to make eye contact with her.

'Cam, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I don't _want_ to go to the hospital' she pouted.

He took a deep breath, intent on remaining calm. 'Tell you what' he said, running his hand through her hair reassuringly. 'We'll compromise. I'll call Dr. Cooper and see what she says. If she thinks it can wait until tomorrow, we'll wait. All right?'

Hope nodded and watched as Cameron took out his phone and dialled. If she told him how scared she was, he would bring her into the ER, kicking and screaming. Truth was, Hope had had enough hospital visits to last her two lifetimes.

WCWCWC

'Mr. Caffrey' the tall, slim man said as he put out his hand. 'I'm Daniel Jennings. It's nice to meet you.'

Neal smiled as he shook his hand. 'How do you do. This is my… brother-in-law, Mr…' he looked at Peter, detecting a look of mischief in his eyes - surely permission for Neal to go ahead and be a little naughty. '…Mr. Raphael.'

Peter just about choked but managed to recover and put out his hand for the salesman, stifling a laugh.

'Mr. Raphael' the salesman repeated as Neal averted his eyes so he wouldn't start giggling like a teenage girl.

'Let's have a seat over here, shall we?' the man said as he led them to nearby couches in the upscale store.

'So tell me, how can I help you today?' he asked.

'My wife and I are renewing our wedding vows for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary' Neal explained. 'I've been thinking of getting her a family ring.'

'Oh, that's a wonderful choice for a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary' the man enthused, seeing the dollar signs in Neal's eyes. 'We have many, many options we could look at.'

Neal nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from his pant pocket. 'I've… designed something I'd like. I was wondering if you might have something that's similar to this. Otherwise, I'd like to discuss having it custom made.'

Peter glimpsed at the sheet of paper, in awe of the professional quality renderings of a beautiful family ring captured from different angles - as only Neal could draw. His best friend never seemed to do things the conventional way.

'Why don't I start by getting some catalogues and we can go from there?' the man suggested as he got to his feet.

'Wow! You've actually designed your own ring' Peter said as he further examined the sketches.

'I've been struggling with a couple of things' Neal admitted as his voice grew serious. 'I wasn't sure if we should include Caitlin.'

'What do you think Sara would want?' Peter asked - just the right question, in fact.

Neal thought for a moment. 'I think she'd want me to include her. Sara's really fond of her and Caitlin really is an honorary Caffrey. But do you think it might upset Hope and Liam?'

Peter frowned at the question. Both of Neal and Sara's kids were very secure in their relationship with their parents and Caitlin's presence in their home, although disruptive at first, had been just like having another sibling.

'I doubt it. The kids know what they mean to you and I really don't think either one of them feels threatened by having Caitlin be an honorary Caffrey.'

Peter began examining the design Neal had created, a gorgeous ring he knew for a fact Sara would love. He immediately recognized Neal and Sara's birthstones as well as the light blue aquamarine for Hope's March birthday and the darker emerald for Liam's May birthday.

'So, that would be Caitlin here?' he asked, pointing to another aquamarine. 'What about those two little diamonds between the larger stones? Why not add a couple more over here?'

Neal grew quiet as he lovingly ran his hand over the drawing. 'No' he said softly. 'Those are… for the two babies we lost.'

Peter was totally taken aback by Neal's response - a hint of sadness still apparent in his best friend's eyes after so many years. The two miscarriages had happened a long time ago - the first, when Sara had been undergoing cancer treatments early in their marriage and the second one, more recently as the couple faced a surprise pregnancy in their forties.

Although Neal and Sara had been heartbroken at the time, they had been very private in their grief, turning to each other for solace. The loss of the second baby, in particular, had hit Neal hard; Sara had been thirteen weeks along when she'd miscarried and they'd known at the time they were having a little girl. After the initial shock of finding out he was going to be a dad again at the ripe old age of 49, Neal had been over the moon, talking non-stop about the baby girl they would be welcoming.

They had even named her Hannah and, after the miscarriage, Neal had painted a beautiful portrait of a blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl - his take on what the child might have looked like, had she lived. The painting had spent months in his studio at home, eventually finding its way to the Raphael where it was purchased by one of their regular patrons. Neal had once told Peter that the tulips he'd planted in their backyard were in memory of the baby and he and Sara took comfort in watching them come up every spring, right around the time she would have been born.

'I think… that's a lovely thought, Neal' Peter managed to say as Neal smiled back at him wistfully.

'I know it might seem silly but… we've never forgotten them. They'll always be a part of our family.'

Peter brought his hand to rest on Neal's shoulder. 'It's _not_ silly, not silly at all.'

There was a small ruckus as a young woman appeared carrying a tray with tea and biscuits, followed by Mr. Jennings, returning with a couple of large books.

Peter and Neal settled in to leaf through the pages, looking for something similar to what Neal had sketched. Neal's design was a wide band with a row of small emeralds (Sara's favourite gem) on the top and bottom and the larger birthstones along the front of the band. The two smaller diamonds were nestled between the opal and topaz representing Neal and Sara.

'Were you thinking gold or white gold, perhaps?' the salesman asked.

'Platinum' Neal said with conviction.

'Good choice' Jennings agreed.

They continued to peruse the catalogues, Neal focussing on the pieces with the characteristics he wanted and after a while, Peter's eyes began to glaze over as one design after another passed before his eyes, all looking the same.

Neal's voice began to fade in the distance and Peter's gaze was drawn to his best friend's face, the excitement in his eyes, the content smile on his lips. Peter was suddenly brought back to the first time he'd ever laid eyes on Neal Caffrey, the young conman who had brazenly walked up to him outside a Manhattan bank and handed him a green lollipop with effusive thanks about the excellent work the FBI was doing. What a crock! Peter had found the exchange unusual at the time but he'd put it out of his mind - up until the moment capturing Neal Caffrey had become the centre of his universe.

So many years had passed since then and yet, the charismatic charm and unflappable self-assurance Neal had displayed on that day were still visible today, despite the crows feet and greying temples.

Neal glanced over at his best friend and grinned, a grin Peter had grown to know over the years as pure delight and self-satisfaction on the younger man's part.

'What do you think, Peter?' he was saying excitedly as Peter snapped out of his reverie.

Peter glanced down at the photograph in the catalogue that lay on the table. The image was almost exactly like the drawings Neal had brought along with him.

'But I want it in platinum and I'd like all those stones to be emeralds' Neal continued as Mr. Jennings nodded in agreement.

'And I need two small diamonds about 5.2 millimetres between the opal and the topaz' he instructed as the man scribbled the instructions.

'Shape?' the man asked as they consulted a chart of diamond shapes.

Neal seemed to hesitate for a moment; he imagined Sara gazing down at the ring and he wavered between the sentimental heart shape and a more traditional cushion shape for the two smaller diamonds.

'Can I think about it for a day or so?' Neal asked, hesitating.

'Of course' the salesman replied. 'What about punctuating it with those smaller diamonds all the way through?' he suggested. Aesthetically, it made sense but, in this particular case, the symbolism of the diamonds trumped aesthetics and Neal was quick to respond.

'No, it has to be two smaller diamonds… only two' he responded, his voice steady.

He perked up, as things became clearer. 'You know what, make the diamonds cushion shape' he said with renewed confidence as Peter stared back in admiration.

'Oh, and I almost forgot. I would like it inscribed with this message' Neal added, pointing to a line at the bottom of his design. '… in Allegro script, six millimetres.'

'May I suggest seven millimetres… for clarity' the man advised as Neal nodded in agreement. 'The width of the band will accommodate it easily.'

'And the ring size?' he asked.

'Six' Neal responded without hesitation as Peter looked on - he couldn't even guess at El's ring size if his life depended on it.

'I'll need three weeks to have this made up' Daniel Jennings said as Neal nodded.

'And a 25% deposit today' he added.

Neal reached for his wallet as Peter watched in interest. The ex-conman seemed thrilled at the thought of making his wife happy on their special day and contrary to what he would have done back in the day, he was about to pay for that privilege with his own hard earned money.

Oh, how far they'd come.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

'Just lie back and relax and I'll go get your young man' Dr. Cooper said, patting Hope's hand.

Hope nodded, swallowing the lump that had been stuck in her throat since early in the afternoon. When Cam had called her office, Dr. Cooper had suggested she come in and get checked out, just to be on the safe side and Cam had practically carried her out to the car and had proceeded to race across town in a frenzy, burning a couple of red lights along the way. Due to her previous brain injury, Hope's pregnancy was at higher risk for all kinds of complications including migraines and excess fatigue and although none of those symptoms had materialized, Dr. Cooper had been keeping a close eye on her young patient.

Since before she'd even gotten pregnant, Hope had been reading everything she could get her hands on and, combined with Cameron's extensive research, the couple had amassed an overabundance of facts and fallacies concerning pregnancy and childbirth. She thought she knew everything there was to know but the stabbing pain she'd felt earlier had thrown her for a loop, creating such panic that she'd feared she might actually pass out on her way down the stairs of the gallery.

Except for persistent morning sickness, like her mother before her, Hope had had a textbook pregnancy and sharing such an amazing experience with the man she loved had left her on cloud nine. But lately, Hope had begun to feel increasingly anxious - the same kind of angst she'd felt during her recovery from the serious injuries she'd suffered five years before. Perhaps it was the knowledge that life could turn on a dime or the fear that she might not always be there for her baby or maybe it was just normal pre-natal jitters gone awry - whatever the reason, she'd begun to have insomnia and she'd noticed her speech had begun to deteriorate.

She hadn't wanted to share her concerns with Cam, for fear of worrying him, but she'd actually made an appointment to see Dr. White, the neurosurgeon who had operated on her and had provided follow-up care following her surgery years before. She was scheduled to see him the following week, behind Cam's back, and the only person she'd told and who would be coming to the appointment with her was her mom who had agreed - albeit very reluctantly - to keep this information from her doting father, at least for the time being.

Now, this was happening - whatever _this_ was - and she could feel her body shaking uncontrollably as she lay there wearing a flimsy hospital gown in an antiseptic doctor's office. The door opened and in walked Cam, a worried look on his face.

'Hey sweetie' he murmured as he made his way to stand next to her. 'You okay?'

He placed a kiss on her forehead and Hope forced a smile. 'Yeah, I'm fine. Dr. Cooper's going to do an ultrasound just to make sure everything's okay but she thinks I'm just having Braxton Hicks contractions.'

'Already?' Cameron said.

'Apparently some women get them earlier than others' Hope replied as the door opened once again to the rattle of the ultrasound machine being wheeled in.

Dr. Joanne Cooper smiled that kindly, reassuring smile she always gave her anxious parents-to-be. 'Cameron, why don't you slip in on the other side and we'll set up the ultrasound over here' she directed.

Within moments, the reassuring sound of their baby boy's heartbeat was heard resonating in the small room and Cam squeezed Hope's hand as they both stared at the monitor. Dr. Cooper pointed out the head which had now moved into a birth ready position - always good news - and Cam couldn't help but notice the intensity with which Dr. Cooper was examining the image on the screen.

'All right, the show's over' she finally said with a smirk. 'Cameron can wait in my office while you get dressed and I'll see you both in there in a few minutes.'

By the time Hope had wriggled into her clothes, both Dr. Cooper and Cameron were waiting for her and she took a seat, trying to squeeze into the narrow chair next to her husband.

'First off, those contractions you had today are perfectly normal. They're Braxton Hicks contractions. It's just your body slowly preparing for the birth so there's absolutely nothing to worry about.'

Cam let out an audible sigh of relief and reached for his wife's hand, noticing how clammy it was.

'And, as you know, the baby moves around a lot before finally settling in a head down position to prepare for the birth and your little guy is all ready to go so you'll likely be feeling increased pressure down there.'

Hope couldn't help sensing there was something else, something Dr. Cooper wasn't saying.

'Hope, you've gained 42 pounds which is a little more than we'd expect at this point and I had a good look at the baby's size which leads me to believe you're about two weeks further along than we originally thought' she explained.

'What?' Hope murmured softly.

'It happens sometimes' Dr. Cooper continued. 'We try to estimate as best we can but sometimes we're off by a week or two so I'm revising your delivery date to July 3rd. Maybe you'll have a little Independence Day Baby' she added with a smile.

Hope looked over at her husband with her mouth hanging open and he knew exactly what she was thinking.

'How have you been feeling overall? How are you sleeping?'

Cam gave his wife an apprehensive glance; he knew she would be none too pleased about him spilling the beans. 'Hope hasn't been sleeping very well. She's up a lot during the night.'

Hope gave him a look of exasperation as he continued, undeterred. 'Should she be on bedrest or should she stop working?'

'That depends on you, Hope. How's your energy level?'

'I'm fine' she said, giving Cameron a dirty look. She had no interest in being stuck at home, staring at the four walls.

'I know you're worried, Cam but I see nothing that would suggest Hope should be on bedrest' Dr. Cooper replied before turning to face Hope. 'On the other hand, young lady, you should not be pushing yourself. If you're tired you need to slow down, have a nap and see how you feel. Keep watching your nutrition and basically, enjoy your last few weeks of pregnancy… well, as much as one can enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy, that is.'

'Okay…' Hope said without much conviction.

'And my best advice is to let your young man spoil you a little. In a few weeks, you'll be a busy mom and being pampered will be nothing but a memory. Believe me.'

Hope nodded and smiled, relieved.

'Thank you doctor' Cameron said, getting to his feet and helping Hope do the same.

WCWCWC

'Of course I'll do it' Peter said as he and Neal arrived back in White Plains.

'Hope's been looking a little… disheartened lately. I think it would do her good to go see Liam and I don't think she'll go without Cam, not so late in her pregnancy' Neal explained.

'No worries, I'd love to do it. Do you have some part-timers I can call to help cover?' Peter asked.

'Don't worry about it. I'll call Cam and between the two of us, we'll get it all sorted out' Neal said, studying his partner. 'You're sure Elizabeth will be okay with this?'

'Yeah, I'm sure' Peter replied.

The two men stepped out of the car and Peter made his way to his own vehicle, which had spent the afternoon parked in front of the Caffrey house.

'And Peter...' Neal called out, bridging the distance between them. 'Not a word to El about my present for Sara.'

Peter gave him a nod and a thumbs up and Neal stood for a moment in his driveway, waving as Peter headed back home to his wife.

'There you are' Sara said when Neal finally came into the house. 'I thought I was going to have to figure out dinner all by myself.'

Neal grinned; after twenty-five years of married life, meals remained his bailiwick and Sara all but panicked when she was left to her own devices. He made his way over and cradled her hips, pulling her in to him.

'Oh, yeah? Not in the mood for Kraft Dinner, huh Repo?' he teased.

Sara made a feeble attempt at poking him in the ribs but Neal strong-armed her and she gladly surrendered, his loving gaze settling on her face. The sun was streaming into the kitchen and in that moment, she looked amazing, her skin radiant, her emerald eyes shiny and bright and the corners of her mouth turned up in that sweet smile he loved so much. She was everything he could ever want, even after all this time and he brought his lip to hers, instantly changing the mood from playful to lustful in the blink of a kiss.

'Sara…' he said, bringing his hands up to cradle her face and letting his hand linger down her cheek. 'You look so beautiful.'

'Neal…' she responded breathlessly, her heart rate suddenly increasing in reaction to his intense gaze.

'Sometimes when I look at you…' he said, his voice soft, '…it's like I'm seeing you for the very first time.'

'A few more wrinkles than when we first met, don't you think?' she replied, smiling broadly and right on cue, those pesky lines appeared in the corners of her eyes.

'I happen to love your wrinkles' Neal said in a whisper. 'They remind me that you're still here with me… that you still want to be with me after all this time.'

Sara smiled back fondly; she'd married such a romantic. With just a gentle touch of his hand and the piercing gaze of his deep blue eyes, he made her feel like there was no one else in the universe but her.

'And sadly, I'm no better in the kitchen than the day you married me' Sara added, eyes sparkling.

'I don't care about that… I _never_ cared about that' he murmured, his eyes darkening. 'Besides…' he shrugged '…I'm not really all that hungry.'

'Me neither' she admitted with the same longing look in her eyes.

He brought his lips to hers, his kiss soft yet resolute as if words no longer sufficed to express the depth of his love for her and Sara found herself melting in his touch, her head spinning and her heart pounding in her chest.

The intensity of the moment, combined with the quiet stillness of the house at a time of day when they were usually busy with mundane tasks, seemed to leave them both dizzy with want and emotion.

Neal took a few tentative steps back, coaxing Sara along towards the stairs at the front of the house, his intentions clear.

'Are we really doing this at five in the afternoon?' she murmured with a playful grin.

'Can you think of a _better_ time?' he replied, his voice so soft she could barely hear him.

They climbed up to their room, the house silent and the sun streaming in through their bedroom window. Neal sat on the edge of the bed and reached out for Sara's hand. She moved in closer, standing in front of him and he proceeded to slowly undress her, his eyes trained on hers, his practiced hands taking their time. He wasn't in any hurry; he already knew what was was hidden from view beneath those clothes, he knew every inch of her body, the body he worshiped and he took his time, enjoying every second, every fleeting touch, and revelling in the look of longing on Sara's face. Her pencil skirt hit the floor with a soft swoosh and was soon joined by the silk blouse she'd been wearing, leaving her in her bra and panties, sensible cotton underwear with a little bit of trim lace. She took a step back and Neal gazed at her in amazement, her hair slightly mussed and a wanton look on her face. She'd never looked more amazing and he felt his heart swell at the sheer intensity of his love for her.

Sara took Neal's hand and he got to his feet, standing in front of her as she began to slowly strip him of his clothes, his eyes remaining glued to hers the whole time. He watched as her tongue darted out, licking her lips and she bit her bottom lip as she fiddled with unfastening the last of his shirt buttons. His hands reached out and taking her by the shoulders, he guided her to the bed, pushing her down gently and he lay down beside her, leaning in on one elbow as he brought his body to cover hers.

'Sara… my beautiful, beautiful Sara' he whispered, running his hand through her hair. 'I love you _so_ much. Will you marry me… again?'

She smiled gently in response to the unexpected question. 'Of course I will… I'll marry you as many times as you ask me, Caffrey' she murmured as she pulled him in to her, her arms reaching around to cradle his back.

Over the years, Neal and Sara's lovemaking had run the gamut from the casual sex they'd had when they'd first met to passionate, spontaneous sex, sweet, loving sex, celebratory sex, 'making babies' sex, 'I'm going to miss you' sex, 'welcome home' sex, angry sex, make up sex, guilt sex, role play sex, kinky sex, pregnant sex, drunk sex, 'I think the dog is watching us' sex and even the dreaded routine sex. They'd been intimate in hotel rooms, in showers, in jacuzzis, in friends' homes and in pretty well every room in their house, they'd even had 'we might get caught' sex in the vault at Sterling Bosh as well as in Sara's office once when Neal had come home after being away. They'd had sex at the crack of dawn, upon waking, in the middle of the afternoon, at bedtime and in the middle of the night; they'd had quickies, marathons and everything else in between. Throughout their marriage, they'd had more than their fair share of interrupted sex especially when the kids were young, one-sided sex when one or the other was preoccupied or exhausted, and they'd even experienced some cringe-worthy 'I can't get it up' failed attempts on a couple of occasions.

They'd seen each other at their best and at their worst, warts and all and yet when they fell into each other's arms, there was nothing else in the world but the two of them and nothing or no one could ever drive a wedge between them.

Neal moved solemnly, with reverence for his wife's body as if she was made of fine china and might break if he didn't handle her with care. They made love in silence, the chirping of birds outside their bedroom window and their laboured breathing the only sounds in the quiet house. Their bodies moved in unison, intertwined in ways only they knew and their eyes wide open as they sought to please each other, above all else. It was far from the first time their bodies had come together like this and yet, Neal drank in his wife with wonder and awe and even though he knew all the ways in which to please her, he watched her carefully, reacting with eagerness as if her body were a temple and he, her suppliant.

They took their time as if they were discovering each other's body for the first time: long, lingering touches, lips exploring every nook and cranny, arms and legs wound together in blissful symbiosis, time standing still.

'Thank you' Neal murmured as they lay in each other's arm, sated and relaxed.

'For what?' she asked, basking in the afterglow.

He turned to look at her and she could see the intensity in her lover's eyes. 'For everything... for twenty-five amazing years, for loving me even when I made it hard for you, for agreeing to be my wife again. I'm sorry I haven't always been at my best.'

Sara perched herself onto her elbow. 'I could say the same thing' she replied softly. 'But isn't that what marriage is all about... staying together through the rough times knowing there'll be plenty more good times?'

Neal smiled wistfully. 'I suppose… You know how I said I would always be honest with you?' he asked, his face turning serious.

She frowned and searched his eyes. 'What? What is it?'

'I lied to you' he began solemnly. 'The truth is… I _am_ hungry.'

Sara laughed and gave him a playful shove as Neal chuckled. 'You are so easy to wind up, Repo.'

'Well, you're going to pay for that one, Caffrey' she said. 'It's going to cost you dinner in bed. And none of that Kraft Dinner crap either!'

Neal sprung out of bed and grinned widely, giving her a lewd wink followed by a pale imitation of a body roll and Sara laughed heartily and threw a pillow at him, watching him disappear downstairs to make them dinner.

WCWCWC

Hope and Cam grew quiet on the drive home. The news that the baby would likely arrive two weeks earlier than expected had come as a shock to both of them. There was still so much to see to including the ceremony for her parents and all the preparations for the baby's room.

'Hope, we _have_ to tell them' Cam repeated.

'No!' she replied curtly. 'Cam, they've been planning this trip for over a year. If we tell them the baby is due earlier than we thought, they won't want to go.'

'It's no better if they find out after the fact, Hope. They'll be even more upset that we kept it from them.'

Hope looked out the car window and let out a soft whimper as Cam tried to focus on keeping the car on the road. He reached for her hand and that was all it took; Hope began to cry loudly - wailing, actually.

Now, to say Hope Ellis-Caffrey was an 'ugly' cryer was somewhat of an understatement. As much as he loved his wife, Cam had to admit that sobbing just wasn't a good look on her. Her face would totally contort, her bright blue eyes disappearing behind puffy, red eyelids and her mouth would go all crooked and start to quiver as she attempted to breathe and sob and talk all at the same time.

'Baby…' Cameron pleaded as he searched for somewhere to stop the car without causing them to be rear-ended. ' _Please_ , don't cry. You know I don't know what to do when you cry.'

'I'm n-not doing it on p-purpose' she blubbered, fighting for breath.

Cam managed to pull the car over safely to the side of the road and he turned to face his wife, hoping to comfort her. She was pretty far gone and he despaired he wouldn't be able to talk her down.

'W-w-e don't even have the b-baby's room ready' she struggled to say.

'Hope, Hope, sweetie, look at me. You _have_ to calm down, you're getting yourself all worked up' Cam pleaded.

'B-b-b-ut…' she attempted, not getting any traction. 'UGHHHHH!' she screamed, giving up in frustration.

He waited; every once in a while, she lost it, exasperated and angry at not being able to communicate like she used to. It had been a long haul since that fateful night she had landed in hospital and even though she'd come an awfully long way, she would never be quite as she'd been before.

'W-w-why do I have to… be… like… this' she cried, hyperventilating.

Cam put his arm around her, forcing her against him and holding her tight. 'Hope, you are exactly as you should be and I love you just the way you are.'

She sat there in his arms in silence, trying to collect herself. Her breathing began to slow down, her breath hitching with every new intake of air and calm resumed slowly as Cam cradled her, running his hand through her thick mane of dark hair and waiting patiently for the moment to pass.

After a few minutes, Hope pulled away and took the tissue her husband handed her. She blew her nose loudly and he grinned, kissing her forehead.

'I'm sorry' she breathed.

'How many times do I have to tell you… you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Hope, you have been to hell and back and you survived. I love you so much and I think you're the bravest, most amazing woman I have ever met.'

She looked into his big brown eyes, her bottom lip quivering gently.

'I thank God every single day that you came back to me and now… now, we have this precious little one coming' he reminded her, hand on her belly. 'I just… I can't believe how lucky we are.'

Hope nodded and sniffled. 'You're right.'

'It hurts so bad to see you struggling like this' Cam continued, his voice unsteady. 'I wish I'd been the one in the path of that car that night so you wouldn't have to suffer like this.'

Hope brought her hand to touch his face and wiped the single tear that had escaped onto his cheek. 'Shh. Don't say that, Cam. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you.'

They both laughed through their tears. 'Fine pair we are, huh?' he said.

She smiled and brought her lips to his. 'Yes, we are.'

WCWCWC

Having Cody visiting was a real treat. Depending on what was going on with Josh, Cody sometimes stayed in Liam's dorm room when he was in town and on a couple of occasions, he'd gotten a hotel room nearby and Liam had joined him there for the night. Since Liam had moved to Syracuse, having quality time alone was rare for the couple and just the thought of having Cody's warm body next to his for the whole night had Liam's heart singing with joy.

They had joined the group of guys from the basketball team and their girlfriends for the concert but as the evening wore on, Liam became increasingly eager to have Cody all to himself. He watched as some of the guys curled up against their girlfriends, the couples holding hands or making goo goo eyes at each other and he glanced at Cody, giving him a warm smile and a wink. By 10:00, they made their excuses and headed back to the dorm for some quality time.

The door had barely closed behind them and Liam was pushing Cody up against the wall, moving in to devour his mouth as Cody giggled.

'God, Liam…' he mumbled as Liam's mouth cut him off.

All the tension that had been building since the e-mails had started seemed to come to a head and Liam pushed his boyfriend in the direction of the bed as Cody willingly went along.

Liam was the taller of the two and he had a good twenty pounds on his boyfriend although Cody could certainly hold his own if need be. The men moved together towards the bed, mouths fused, their passion rising as they went. They fell on the bed, feeling the less than premium quality mattress creaking under their combined weight and they began to undress each other on the narrow bed, elbows and knees bumping into each other but not deterring them in any measure.

'I missed you' Cody said breathlessly as he struggled to take off his t-shirt, losing his balance momentarily and almost falling to the floor.

'Oh, no' Liam replied, catching him and pulling him back up onto the bed. 'You're not getting away from me, not tonight.'

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Peter and Neal strolled into the White Collar offices to a hero's welcome. Peter had been retired from the Bureau for several years but some of the staff he'd worked with were still employed there and whenever he visited, he was always treated like royalty. For his part, except for the few times he'd helped out on cases, Neal hadn't worked for the FBI in over twenty years but there were still the odd agents here and there who remembered his tenure fondly and when he stopped by, he too was welcomed with open arms.

'I got a couple of hits on that list of names you sent over' Jones said as he led the two men up the steps and into his office - Peter's old office.

Walking into that office brought it all back for Neal every time; he imagined himself as a much younger man, sitting across from Peter, his feet arrogantly perched on the edge of his handler's desk while Peter gave him the evil eye. Those years had been tempestuous for the two men as they jockeyed for control in their relationship, the power seesawing back and forth between them constantly. Over time, their relationship had evolved into a much healthier, more balanced friendship where each man relied on the other for support and advice and their years working together at the gallery had only further cemented their long-standing friendship.

'I flagged a couple of names for you' Jones continued, referring to the file Peter held in his hands.

'This guy, Reynolds, did jail time for fraud and was released about six months ago and this one, Greenberg…' he continued, pointing '…he's been flagged as a person of interest in the ongoing investigation of a robbery in Brooklyn where there was a fatality.'

The men looked over the file as Jones spoke.

'Oh, and this guy, Mike Friedman, was arrested for domestic violence and is awaiting arraignment… not sure that's relevant to your case but I didn't want to leave any stone unturned.'

'Thanks Clinton' Peter said. 'This is really helpful.'

'Glad I could help' Jones said. 'Took all of ten minutes to pull all this together.'

Peter gave his successor a warm smile and tapped him on the shoulder. 'How are Ivy and the kids?' he asked.

'Growing like weeds - the kids I mean, not Ivy' Jones said.

'And Diana?' Neal asked.

'She's out on a case right now. But she and Christie are doing great and so are the girls. Believe it or not, Virginia starts university in September.'

Neal shook his head in disbelief - where had the years gone?

Peter glanced down at his watch, realizing he was due at the gallery in an hour; he knew Neal wanted to hit the road by noon so they could get to Syracuse in plenty of time for the 7:30 start time at Carrier Dome.

'We gotta go' he said to Neal as they prepared to leave.

'I'm having a poker night in three weeks' Jones said as he walked them to the elevator. 'We could make it into a bachelor party for you, Caffrey.'

Neal seemed uncomfortable with the suggestion; in his experience, bachelor parties were just an excuse for everyone to mercilessly torment the groom-to-be by finding new ways to embarrass him.

'I don't know…' he balked, an uneasy look on his face.

'Great idea!' Peter interrupted with an exaggerated eyebrow wag. 'I'll be in touch to help you plan it.'

There was a major eye roll on the part of Neal as the balance of power shifted back to Peter and the two men stepped into the elevator, leaving a smirking Clinton Jones behind.

WCWCWC

Hope snoozed in the backseat of the car despite the constant chattering between her husband and her parents. She liked to pretend she didn't need naps during the day but Cam knew better. He'd found her sound asleep in the backroom of the gallery on a couple of occasions; it seemed that when 3:00 rolled around, she would start to droop and become physically unable to keep her eyes open. As it was, the hum of the car engine and the warmth of her mother's body next to hers had been irresistible and Hope had succumbed to fatigue about an hour outside the New York City limits. Sara lifted her arm and Hope curled up against her, murmuring something unintelligible as she snuggled next to her mom like a sleepy three-year-old.

'Is she not sleeping well at night?' Sara asked Cam.

'She pees constantly, she's up about four, five times a night to use the bathroom and sometimes she has trouble getting back to sleep' Cameron volunteered, his voice low.

Sara nodded and ran her hand through Hope's hair; she'd been there and she remembered how uncomfortable things became during the last couple of months.

'We remember those days, don't we Repo?' Neal recalled with a mischievous smile. 'Towards the end, it got so bad I had to get up to help Sara off the toilet… or she would have had to stay there till the next morning.'

'Thank you for sharing that lovely tidbit of information with our son-in-law, sweetheart' Sara replied sarcastically as Cameron chuckled. 'I'm sure Cam will cherish that image for years to come.'

Sara's snarky remark had no effect whatsoever on Neal. 'Were you able to reschedule your appointment with Dr. Cooper?' he asked Cam.

Leave it to Neal to remember that Hope had an appointment scheduled for that afternoon - detail-oriented Neal kept tabs on _all_ her appointments, checking in with her afterwards to see how things had gone.

Cam stretched his long legs - as much as he could in the cramped car. 'Actually, we got in to see Dr. Cooper yesterday' he answered, hoping he wouldn't be grilled on the details of the doctor's visit.

'Is everything all right?' Sara asked.

'Yeah… yeah. All systems go' Cameron replied. 'The doctor says the baby's head is already in position' he explained, a detail he felt he could safely share with his in-laws without breaking any confidences.

Neal stared at the road ahead, trying to decide whether or not to share his concerns about his daughter's health. He dropped his voice and ploughed ahead. 'I notice she seems to be struggling a little bit… with her speech' he commented.

Cam appeared uncomfortable and he glanced into the back seat to make sure Hope couldn't hear them.

'She's been a lot more frustrated lately' he agreed. 'She was actually wondering if she should go back and have a few speech therapy sessions.'

Sara piped up. 'The last stage of pregnancy is always stressful. Maybe she's just anxious about the weeks ahead.'

Instead of telling Neal and Sara about Hope's total meltdown following their appointment with Dr. Copper, Cam just nodded and kept his mouth shut. If Hope wanted to share any of those details with her folks, she was free to do so but he didn't think it was his place - unless Hope was in imminent danger, it was better for him to stay quiet.

Sara looked down at her daughter, dead to the world. 'Any luck getting her to slow down and take some time off?' she asked.

Cam turned in his seat to look at Sara. 'Afraid not. She's pretty stubborn, in case you hadn't noticed. Not sure _where_ she gets that from?'

'Aren't you the clever one' Sara shot back without missing a beat.

'So' Neal said with a bright smile as he gave Cam a tap on the leg. 'Big game tonight. You looking forward to it?'

Cameron nodded; he'd always loved basketball, having played in his youth, and he enjoyed the company of his father-in-law. 'Yeah, it's going to be great. Colgate's a tough team.'

'They have an excellent defence' Neal agreed as Sara began to tune out.

Sports had never been her thing but Neal had learned to enjoy spectator sports - he'd had to, considering his best friend was Peter Burke - and Liam had always been somewhat of a jock so she'd always made the effort to at least _appear_ interested. Her mind wandered as the men sat in the front seat, comparing notes on the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams and the likely outcome of the game.

She'd kept mum regarding Hope's appointment with Dr. White and she was feeling awful about withholding that information from Neal. She and Neal had never kept things from each other when it came to their kids although they _had_ been known to put off sharing details - as Neal had done the previous weekend. It made it difficult for them when the kids asked them to keep things on the QT and both Neal and Sara worried that the day might come when their offspring would stop confiding in them if they couldn't be trusted to keep their secrets.

Hope had made her mom promise she wouldn't utter a word about her appointment to Cam, or Neal - at least until after the fact. She'd been feeling increasingly anxious and she worried there was something physiologically wrong with her - some connection between her brain injury and her pregnancy that might account for the heightened uneasiness she'd been feeling and the increased difficulty with her speech. Sara hadn't had the heart to say no; if she wanted Hope to continue confiding in her, she needed to show her daughter she was trustworthy. For the moment, all she could do was support Hope and encourage her to come clean to Cam about what was going on.

A phone rang in the front seat and Hope startled, waking from her slumber and looking lost for a moment.

'Mom?' she muttered as she came to, wondering how she'd come to be practically sprawled out in her mom's lap.

'Hello' came Cam's voice. 'No problem… Yeah, sorry I meant to tell you, it's all wrapped up in the back room and it's already been paid for in full. How are things going?'

There was silence as Neal glanced over, watching his son-in-law so competently managing the affairs of his beloved gallery from a distance.

'That's great' Cam replied. 'Oh, and tell Mr. Richardson I've ordered that Jonathan Given painting he wanted.'

'It's coming in on Friday' came Hope's groggy voice from the backseat as she clued in to what was being discussed.

'Hope says it'll be delivered Friday so you can tell him that. All right. Thanks Mr. Burke. Call if there's anything else…. I'll tell him.'

'How'd he sound?' Neal asked as Cam hung up.

'Good. A little _too_ good for a guy who got drafted to work on a day's notice' he remarked.

'Aww, he was glad to do it' Neal replied.

Hope sat up, getting her bearings. 'That was a great idea, Dad… asking Uncle Peter to cover for us. It'll do him a world of good.'

'You should have seen his face when I asked him' Neal confided. 'You'd think he'd won the lottery.'

'I guess too much down time is no better than none at all' Cam commented.

'Daddy?' Hope's voice floated from the back seat.

'What is it sweet pea?'

'I need to go pee' she said sheepishly as Cam gave Neal a surreptitious look.

WCWCWC

Rebecca Hastings arrived in the modest Brooklyn neighbourhood, drove up to the humble bungalow and parked her little red Mazda in the driveway - just as she did every night. She couldn't believe they still lived in relative squalor considering their recent windfall. Except for an increase in her clothes allowance, she hadn't seen much evidence of the generous inheritance her grandfather had left behind. Instead, to her chagrin, her mother had remained steadfastly fixated on her ill-advised, yet intricate, plan for revenge.

'Mom!' she called out as she dropped her shoes at the front door and made her way to the back of the house.

There were only a couple of places her mom could be - sitting at the kitchen table, plotting and colluding with her computer open in front of her or in the small back yard, puffing away on yet another of those deadly cigarettes.

'I found someone to go after the ruby tiara!' Iris Hastings exclaimed as Becky strolled in.

'Oh, yeah?' the young woman said, taking a seat next to her mom.

'My contact in Brussels put me in touch with someone who'll do it.'

Rebecca let out a pained sigh. 'Mom, are you sure you want to do this. Don't you think you've caused him enough hardship?'

Iris Hastings stared back at her daughter, mouth agape. Her natural beauty had been ravaged by too many years of booze, cigarettes and a relentless thirst for revenge which had dulled her blue eyes and left her a shadow of her former self.

'Is Winston Bosch still sitting in that ridiculously expensive leather chair of his on the 37th floor at Sterling Bosch?' she asked defiantly.

'Yes…' Becky replied quietly.

'Then, he hasn't suffered enough' she responded unequivocally.

'Mom…' Rebecca said, taking her mom's hand. 'We could use the rest of Grandpa's money and get a really nice place or go on a six-month cruise. You're not well…can't we just leave the past behind and enjoy what little time we have left?'

Iris stared back at her daughter, pain and anguish eating her up. 'The day the Board kicks Winston Bosch's sorry ass to the curb and his stellar reputation is destroyed, we'll celebrate' she said to her daughter. 'In the meantime, keep your eye on the prize. Did you find out anything new?'

Becky looked away, disheartened. 'No… Sara Ellis hasn't been in to see him since Friday morning.'

'She's good, I remember her being a real badass investigator' Iris said, thinking back to when she'd met Sara Ellis almost thirty years earlier. 'A bit of a hot dog as I recall but she got the job done. If he's asked her to investigate these thefts, she'll keep digging until she finds something.'

'You said you didn't leave a trail' Becky mused.

'I didn't… but people can be bought as we both know' Iris responded. She began to cough, that horrible wet cough Rebecca hated - a reminder that her mom's health was on the decline.

Their lives had revolved around this deceitful endeavour for the past year and a half and she'd had enough; the hatred and rancour that consumed her mom would surely take her to an early grave but despite her daughter's pleas, the older woman could not be deterred.

Becky took in an uneven breath and got to her feet, making her way to the fridge and peeking inside. 'What do you want for dinner?'

WCWCWC

Cody Miller stood outside the administration building of Syracuse University waiting for his ride. The text he'd gotten from Neal had been totally unexpected and, as requested, he hadn't told Liam that his family was planning to surprise him by attending the playoff game.

He spotted the Caffrey's SUV and waved as the vehicle slowed down to pick him up. He slipped in next to Hope, and was welcomed by the happy travellers.

'Does he know we're here?' Hope asked, her eyes bright.

'No. He headed over to the dome about an hour ago' Cody said.

'What are you guys in the mood to eat?' Neal asked. 'There's a good Indian restaurant not too far from here and there's that Italian place Liam loves.'

Hope rubbed her belly, a gesture that did not go undetected by her mom who was tucked into her side. 'You okay, honey?'

Hope forced a smile. 'Yeah, fine. Just need to stretch.'

'I don't know about the rest of you, but I would love some butter chicken' Cam said to the happy chorus of 'yeses' from his fellow passengers.

'Indian it is' Neal said as he pointed the car down the road.

WCWCWC

Julie Prentice finished folding the stack of towels and grabbed for the large rack of water bottles.

'I can do that if you like' her friend and co-worker said.

'No, that's okay. Can you bring the towels out to the bench for me and I'll fill the water bottles' the young woman said.

A psych major, Julie was in her graduating year and she'd been lucky enough to get a job working with the basketball team's training staff, helping out at practices and games. It was pretty routine stuff - helping the trainers with minor injuries, keeping the first aid kit stocked, doing laundry, folding towels, preparing the water bottles. Not exactly rocket science but it was a great way to make some extra cash while spending some time up close and personal with her boyfriend, star guard Kevin Cooper.

'Hey!' she heard as a pair of hands landed on her hips from behind.

She let out a startled scream. 'Kevin! What the hell are you doing? You practically gave me a heart attack.'

The young man grinned, lacing his arms around her waist and moving in to kiss her.

Julie pulled away and looked around the changing room. 'You're not supposed to be in here. What if the coaches are looking for you?'

He cut her off with another kiss. 'They won't notice I'm missing' he murmured.

She relaxed in his arms, responding to his kiss. 'So, are you in the starting lineup tonight?' she asked as she pulled away to look into his eyes.

'I don't know…' Kevin said, more interested in her lips in that moment.

'Kevin, stop! I swear to God, you're the least ambitious guy I've ever met. You _deserve_ to start' she said. 'Speak up. Make sure the coaches take you seriously.'

'Huh huh' he replied as he tried to get her to stop talking.

'I swear. Sometimes I think you want this more than I do' he moaned as she pushed him away.

'It isn't fair, Kev. You're the best player on the team and the coaches don't appreciate you.'

He gave his girlfriend a look of skepticism. 'I don't _want_ to be the best player on the team, Jules' he declared. 'I'm happy just to _be_ on the team.'

Footsteps were heard followed by the voice of one of the assistant coaches. 'Kevin! You in here?'

The couple giggled and Kevin finally let go of Julie, sneaking away in the opposite direction.

'See you after the game' he whispered as he slithered away, undetected.

Julie shook her head and sighed; her boyfriend was never going to get the credit he deserved if he didn't speak up. She picked up the tray of water bottles and headed back to fill them before the start of the game.

WCWCWC

The place was hopping when the Caffrey contingent arrived at Carrier Dome at 7:00. Luckily, there were a number of seats reserved for family members and they happened to be damn good seats at that. The group of five filed in and took their places, Cody followed by Hope, Sara, Neal and Cam. Sara was relieved to see that Hope was looking more relaxed; the nap in the car seemed to have done wonders for her and she settled in between her daughter and Cody Miller.

'You okay, sweetheart?' she asked.

'Yeah' Hope enthused. 'Excited to see Liam. I haven't seen him play in a while.'

'Well, he'll be thrilled to see you' Sara replied.

She looked over in the direction of Cam and Neal who were involved in some heated discussion and the crowd began to cheer as the players came out for the warm-up. Sara's eyes searched and in no time she spotted Liam, leading the pack. She gave him a small wave and his face lit up momentarily as he spotted the whole family sitting where he'd expected to find Cody.

WCWCWC

The gallery had grow quiet and Peter had sent the help home so he could get ready to close up for the night. Despite the long day he'd had - beginning with his visit to the Federal Building followed by an eight hour shift at the Raphael - he was surprised to find he still had a spring in his step. The familiar chiming of the door was heard and his eyes widened at the sight of Elizabeth standing there, looking a vision in a beautiful red dress he'd never seen before.

'Honey!' he called out as he dropped the file he'd been holding in his hands and rushed to welcome her. 'What are you doing all the way out here?'

She gave him a radiant smile. 'Well, this is where all the good restaurants are and I thought I'd take my husband out for a late dinner… unless you've already eaten.'

'No, no' Peter replied. 'It got really busy around dinner time and all I've had is that yogurt you packed in my lunch.'

El came closer and wound her arms around Peter's waist as he did the same; this was indeed a most welcome surprise.

'In that case, _I_ am treating you to a gourmet dinner and then… well, I think you and I are long overdue for a chat' she said cryptically.

Peter raised his eyebrows in question. 'Oh yeah?' He didn't have a clue what his wife had on her mind but instead of asking, he leaned in and kissed her, a sweet gentle kiss she seemed to appreciate.

Her hand came down to cradle his butt and she gave one sharp playful slap as he feigned surprise. 'Now, finish up so we can go!'

WCWCWC

The crowd booed as a foul was called against Orange and Sara glanced over to the team's bench where Liam sat, drinking out of his water bottle. He'd been off the court for a couple of minutes and the trainer had been over to speak to him, Liam shaking his head to some question he'd been asked. One of the coaches walked up behind, tapping him on the shoulder and Liam got to his feet and, without hesitation, he sprinted out to join his teammates on the court.

He'd been having a decent game, although he'd returned to the bench on two occasions looking a little ragged - unusual for him. He trained hard and it showed in his level of stamina and his ability to keep pushing himself beyond his limits. Sara had never stopped worrying about him, ever since his diabetes had been diagnosed at the tender age of eleven. In the early years, she used to nag him constantly about eating the right things, checking his blood sugar regularly and balancing his food intake with his level of exercise. But Liam was a grown man now and Sara tried to resist the impulse to make such comments these days - not that she was always successful with her efforts.

The crowd got to its feet as Liam took a run down the court, controlling the ball as he went and he stopped suddenly, looking for an open teammate. A player from the opposing team charged him and what would have barely shaken him at any other time seemed to knock the wind right out of him and Liam dropped the ball leaning forward and holding on to his stomach as his legs gave out. The referee whistled and, seeing that Liam wasn't getting up on his own, motioned for the team's trainer to run out on the court.

Sara was instantly on her feet and she glanced over at Neal who was standing, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening.

'What happened?' Cody asked with a shaky voice as he got to his feet.

The crowd waited, murmuring loudly and within seconds, Liam managed to get to his feet as applause rang out in the building. Everyone watched as the trainer helped Liam walk away, his arm around the team captain as he escorted him off the court. Liam was still struggling to stand up straight and instead of stopping at the bench and settling him there to recover, the two men left the stadium and headed back into the bowels of the building where the change rooms were located.

Sara and Neal exchanged worried looks as Neal prepared to slip away.

'I'll go see what's up' he said as Cody followed him out.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The Mimosa Tea Room would never even have registered on Peter Burke's radar but once he'd finished devouring their signature Mediterranean sea bass with figs, he decided he had discovered his new favourite restaurant.

'So, how long have you been planning this little dinner?' he asked El as he pushed away from the table.

'Not long… I just thought that, after the long day you'd put in, you might enjoy a nice dinner out' she replied.

Peter gave her a broad grin, something Elizabeth hadn't been privy to in a while. 'You really enjoyed yourself today, didn't you?' she asked, focussing on his reaction.

He hesitated before answering although he wasn't quite certain why. 'Yeah… I had a really good day.'

'You know, honey, I've been thinking…' El began, sounding tentative. 'Maybe it was a little premature for you to stop working altogether?'

'W-what do you mean?'

'Well, I suppose you could have cut back on your hours a little instead. What do you think?'

Peter pondered the question. He knew how much his retiring had meant to El and he didn't want to upset her but the truth was, after today, he felt alive in a way he hadn't felt in months.

Elizabeth seemed to sense his reticence and she reached out to touch his hand. 'It's okay, honey. I want to know what it is _you_ want.'

'I have to admit, it _was_ a hoot being at the gallery today and I'm really having a good time helping Neal with that case' he began tentatively. 'I don't think I'd want this crazy pace all the time but…'

El studied his eyes as he spoke, bright with excitement. 'But you wouldn't mind maybe putting in a few hours a week?'

Peter nodded in silence.

'Honey, why didn't you tell me how you were feeling?' Elizabeth asked.

'I… you were so excited about us both retiring and you had all these plans for us… and… well, I didn't want to disappoint you.'

'Disappoint me? Honey, how could you possibly disappoint me?' she asked, pulling her chair closer to him. 'I just want you to be happy.'

'And I am, El. I love being with you…'

There was a 'but' dangling at the end of the sentence and Elizabeth decided to let it hang there.

Peter continued. 'When I was still working, I would come home to you and I was excited about telling you what had happened during the day. We'd have dinner, talk, relax… I'd do my crossword puzzle and we'd snuggle on the couch… sometimes we'd have an early night' he added with a gleam in his eye.

'Oh, honey, if that's what makes you happy why don't you talk to Neal about the possibility of going back.'

'Really?' he asked like a ten-year-old whose mom had just offered to buy him a brand new bike.

'Of course' she replied with a gentle smile.

'Oh, El, that's fantastic!' he enthused, his face finally relaxing.

'Now, do you want to celebrate with dessert?' El asked picking up the menu.

WCWCWC

Neal paced back and forth in front of the Orange's change room, wringing his hands as he went. In the old days, he would have barged right in to the dressing room to check on his son but Liam wasn't a kid anymore and this was a first rate organization with professional trainers who knew how to react in emergency situations. He glanced over at Cody who was looking just as worried as he was and he ventured a small reassuring smile.

Liam was an elite athlete and except for a concussion he'd suffered in his senior year at White Plains District High, he'd been virtually injury free despite his involvement in a variety of sports over the years. He'd been playing basketball since he was seven or eight years old and he'd also played baseball and soccer as well as one year of hockey when he was in his early teens. Nothing scared Liam Caffrey; he had a robust, athletic build as well as an impressive set of skills and an agility which served him well and were transferable from one sport to another.

Young Caffrey had always embraced risk; Neal recalled how he'd gotten a call at the office one afternoon, years ago, telling him that Liam had broken his arm falling off the playground structure at recess, showing off for his friends. He'd been six years old at the time and when he and Sara had arrived at the hospital, they'd found him happily ensconced in one of the treatment room, proud to show off the brand new cast on his arm. He was a fearless risk-taker and he thrived on using his god-given gifts in challenging ways.

Cody, on the other hand, was more of an intellectual and like Neal, he'd developed an interest in sports mostly as a means to support Liam. Cody's forte was math and science and when the two young men had contemplated life after high school, he had decided to stay in New York and major in microbiology at Columbia University.

Neal continued pacing and he reached out to put a reassuring hand on Cody's shoulder just as the door to the dressing room flew open and the man they'd seen leading Liam off the court stepped out, startled to find the two men lurking nearby.

'Hi' Neal said, stepping forward. 'I'm Neal Caffrey, Liam's dad. Can you tell me what's going on?'

The young man frowned and looked from Neal to Cody. 'I've just called for an ambulance. We're going to have him transported to hospital and looked at' he said.

'Hospital!' Neal repeated. 'Can… can we see him?'

The young man nodded. 'Tell Mike in there who you are. I'm going to go wait for the ambulance.'

Neal opened the door to the change room and stepped in, Cody hot on his heels.

WCWCWC

Iris Hastings sat on a dilapidated lawn chair in her backyard and inhaled deeply. The cigarette smoke filled her lungs, triggering another coughing fit and she could be heard fighting for breath. The all-consuming hurt and anger had been festering for the past thirty years and it had all but done her in; all that was left was to pray she would get justice before it was time for her to leave this earth.

She thought back to the first few months she'd worked for Winston Bosch. She'd been a naive young woman of twenty-two and it had been exciting when the handsome boss had noticed her in the secretarial pool at Sterling Bosch. He'd been complimentary and she'd been young and dewey-eyed, newly arrived in New York after living a sheltered life in Wyoming. It hadn't taken long for him to arrange for her to come work for him as his private assistant and in the beginning she had thrived on all the attention he'd lavished on her. There were gifts, flowers, jewelry and the first time she'd accompanied her boss out of town, he had treated her to a meal in an upscale restaurant and finally moved in for the kill, sweeping her off her feet. Winston Bosch was twelve years her senior, a man of the world who knew how to impress a woman and she was blind to the fact that she was far from the only woman he was sleeping with behind his wife's back.

By spring of that first year, their affair had evolved into weekly quickies in hotel rooms where he was always in a rush to leave and she'd been humiliated by him parading other women right under her nose. The excitement had vanished and yet, he made it abundantly clear that her 'services' were part and parcel of the overall package and that she needed to accept that if she wanted to maintain her job at the large insurance firm. She began to feel trapped and when she'd hinted at breaking things off, he'd threatened to put her out on the street and make her life miserable if she left.

She had finally decided to walk away right around the time she'd found out she was pregnant and that's when the man who'd been so thoughtful and caring became the monster she'd come to know. Within days he had fired her without cause and he refused to take any of her calls, leaving her alone to deal with her predicament. Worse yet, he had refused to provide her with a reference and he began tarnishing her reputation in the upper scale social circles he traveled in, making it virtually impossible for her to get another job.

With nothing, Iris had returned home to her daddy's ranch in Wyoming only to be turfed out when he learned about her situation and she'd been left to fend for herself, trying to make a life for herself and her unborn child. By then, the seeds of hate and anger had begun to take root and she'd swore she'd find a way to make Winston Bosch pay for having ruined her life.

'Mom' Iris heard coming from the back porch. 'It's getting cool out.'

'I'll be right in' she said.

WCWCWC

'What do you think's going on?' a worried Hope asked her mom.

'He probably just got the wind knocked out of him' Sara replied, trying not to let worry seep into her voice.

She'd seen Liam take tumbles many times before and usually he shook it off, sat on the bench for a shift or two and was back on the attack within minutes. Taking a player out of the game and back to the dressing room to tend to him was definitely an indication that the injury was of a more serious nature but any minute, he'd be stepping back in to the stadium - or so she hoped.

She checked her phone, hoping for news from Neal. Radio silence.

WCWCWC

The team dressing room was much larger than Neal had imagined; each player had his own locker and change space and there was a large area in the centre of the room that was unencumbered, ostensibly for stretching and cool down exercises. A small room off to the side seemed to serve as a treatment room and Neal could hear muted sounds coming from that direction. As he and Cody got closer, they could see the room was equipped with a massage table and various pieces of physiotherapy equipment. On the table, lay Liam with a large, burly guy looming over him, tending to him.

'I'm Liam's dad' Neal said as he drew closer. 'And this is…' he hesitated as he pointed to Cody, not wanting to speak out of turn.

'Cody, right?' the trainer said as Cody nodded. The two had obviously met and Cody wasted no time moving closer to Liam, noticing his eyes open but his breathing shallow.

'Hey' he said softly as he brought his hand to touch Liam's soaked hair.

Liam stared ahead in silence, conscious yet seemingly in shock.

'We're waiting on an ambulance' the trainer said. 'He seems to be having some sort of a reaction. According to his file, he doesn't have any allergies.'

'No allergies' Neal confirmed. 'But you _do_ know he's diabetic, right?'

Neal stepped in closer, noticing Liam's whole body shaking violently. His lips were blue and he could hear is son breathing fast and shallow.

'D…ad' Liam tried to say, looking terrified.

His pupils were so dilated that there was barely any green left in his eyes and Neal felt him trembling when he reached out to take his hand.

'It's okay buddy. We're going to get you checked out. Just breathe' he said softly as Liam closed his eyes and gave his dad a weak smile.

His skin felt clammy and cold and in a surprise move, he struggled to sit up, turning his head in Cody's direction, and he proceeded to throw up violently in a bucket at Cody's feet - mostly missing the mark.

Cody held him up as Liam heaved, his stomach lurching. 'It's okay, babe, I got you' Cody said, rubbing his back. The heaving stopped and Liam's body fell back, exhausted and shaking.

There was a commotion at the door to the dressing room and the man they'd met in the hallway reappeared with two paramedics in tow. Neal and Cody stepped back to give them space to work, both men in shock at seeing the usually calm, collected Liam in such a mess.

'His blood pressure is 180 over 120 and his heart rate is 98' Mike said to the newcomers.

Neal thought back to what he knew about blood pressure and how their family doctor had threatened to put him on blood pressure medication if he didn't get his blood pressure under 140 over 90. The numbers the trainer had just spouted off sounded really high to him.

'Liam' one of the paramedics said as he leaned in. 'Are you in any pain?'

Liam appeared breathless and he shook his head, unable to speak. The young woman put an oxygen mask on his face and his eyes grew wide as he looked from his dad to his boyfriend, his face pale.

'It's okay Liam, try to breathe' Neal said, fighting hard to remain calm. 'We'll follow you to the hospital.'

'We're taking him to Upstate University' the paramedic said as they finished strapping Liam onto the gurney.

Cody and Neal stood stunned in the middle of the room, watching as Liam was wheeled out. It suddenly dawned on Neal that Sara, Hope and Cam were still inside the dome, waiting for news. He reached for his phone and typed.

'Meet us in the lobby.'

WCWCWC

'Tetra what?' Sara asked as she stood in the hallway outside the ER alongside Neal.

'Tetrahydrozonile poisoning' the attending physician repeated. 'It's a substance that's found in eye drops and nasal sprays.'

Neal and Sara stared at each other, mouths agape, then turned back to look at the doctor, who, according to his name tag, was Dr. Malcolm Anderson, Attending Physician. What they'd just heard made absolutely no sense but for the time being, all they wanted to know was what that meant for their son.

'Is he going to be all right?' Neal asked.

'Tetrahydrozonile has many harmful side effects' Dr. Anderson continued. 'In your son's case, it caused nausea, vomiting, a spike in his blood pressure and heart rate and some tremors. But we've managed to flush most of it out of his system with a gastric lavage.'

Sara stared back and frowned. 'What's a gastric…'

'Basically, we pumped his stomach and used suction to empty its contents' the man explained.

Sara grimaced at the explanation and Neal glanced over to where Liam lay with Cody next to him, holding his hand. He was looking a lot more alert since they'd brought him in, much better than when he'd first seen him in the dressing room at the Dome.

The young doctor continued with his explanation. 'Often times with this type of substance, we see severe breathing problems which, luckily, Liam hasn't exhibited - possibly because the dose he ingested was minimal.'

Sara instinctively reached for Neal's hand and latched on to it, squeezing tight. 'Is he going to have any long term… repercussions?' she asked.

'Now that the substance is out of his system, he should be back on his feet in a matter of a few hours.'

None of this made any sense but neither Sara or Neal seemed to be working on all pistons - shock still lingering.

'Well… how did he… how did it get into his system in the first place?' Neal asked, still not thinking straight.

'He ingested it somehow' the young doctor said.

Neal and Sara looked at each other, puzzled. 'You mean… accidentally?' Sara asked, although she couldn't fathom how someone accidentally ingested something like eye drops.

The doctor looked around and, noticing there was traffic in the busy hallway, he herded the couple a little further down the hall, where they could continue their discussion privately.

'Unfortunately, we see this kind of thing from time to time. Someone spikes a drink and the victim is none the wiser.'

Neal began to compute what was being implied. 'You're telling us someone deliberately drugged Liam?'

'It's sometimes used as a prank' the doctor confided, his voice low. 'Have you seen the movie 'Wedding Crashers?'

Sara and Neal stared at each other, puzzled. What did a movie have to do with what had just happened to their son?

'One of the characters puts Visine in someone's drink and the guy gets violent diarrhea. It's good for a cheap laugh but it stuck - especially with the university crowd. The truth is Tetrahydrozoline can kill someone if you're not careful.'

'Oh my God!' Sara exclaimed as things began to make sense. 'Neal, do you think this has something to do with those threats?'

He'd been thinking exactly the same thing - a horrifying thought but certainly a plausible explanation for what had just happened.

The doctor looked from Neal to Sara. 'Your son has been the subject of threats?' he asked.

Neal nodded silently. 'I suggest you involve the police. This is a serious crime - an assault - and if your son is being targeted, I'm sure you'll want to know who's responsible.'

Having to deal with Liam being unwell was bad enough but facing the possibility he might be the target of some sick, twisted vendetta was more than she could handle and Sara began to shake, her breathing growing erratic.

'I don't feel very…' she began, grabbing Neal's arm to steady herself. She felt her legs turn to jelly and then suddenly, everything went black.

WCWCWC

'Hey' Sara heard as she opened her eyes.

She was lying on a cot in the ER with Neal staring down at her, deep lines on his forehead as he ran his hand through her hair.

'What… happened?'

'You passed out, that's what happened' he said by way of explanation as Sara struggled to sit up.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on' Neal said, his hands restraining her. 'Just give it a minute.'

'But…Liam…'

'Liam's fine for now. Cody's with him' he said, his voice rough. 'Right now, I'm more worried about you.'

'I'm fine. I just… I just got dizzy, that's all.'

Neal gave her a wary look; somehow, that wasn't a good enough explanation.

'Neal' she murmured. 'We have to get in touch with the police.'

'I know' he responded softly. 'I'll call them as soon as I'm sure you're all right.'

'Help me sit up, will you?' she asked.

'Easy, easy' he said as he took her arm and guided her to sit on the edge of the bed. 'How does that feel?'

Despite some light headedness, she flashed him a smile. 'I'm fine. I want to see Liam.'

Neal was just about to argue when Dr. Anderson reappeared from behind the pulled curtain.

'Mrs. Caffrey, how are you feeling?' he asked, putting the blood pressure cuff on her arm without waiting for an answer to his question.

'I want to see my son' she pleaded.

'I'm just going to check your BP once more' the doctor said as Sara began to feel the familiar tightness of the cuff against her arm. 'You had a sudden drop in blood pressure and that caused you to pass out. Has that ever happened before?'

Sara gave her husband a furtive glance. 'Hmm…'

'Yes' Neal said, interrupting her. 'It happened about three months ago when we were out shopping. It was hot in the mall and she got lightheaded and had to sit down.'

'I didn't _actually_ pass out, Neal' she argued. That was true - technically but truth was she _had_ passed out at work a few weeks back and had never gotten around to telling Neal about it.

Dr. Anderson watched the monitor and sighed. 'Just take it easy, all right? I don't want to have to admit you to hospital.'

He was getting a sense that Sara Ellis was a pretty determined woman and he turned to speak directly to Neal, offering his learned advice. 'When you get home, I suggest she see your family doctor to get properly checked.'

Neal nodded and looked at his wife who turned her eyes away, ostensibly to grab her handbag.

Their short journey to Syracuse was looking like it might last longer than expected.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

'H-how come we h-h-haven't heard anything yet?' Hope asked as she struggled to get to her feet.

'Baby, _please_ sit down' Cameron urged, grabbing for her hand. 'They'll let us know what's going on as soon as they can.'

They'd been sitting in the ER waiting room for almost an hour and Hope was growing impatient to find out what was happening with her baby brother but more importantly, she wanted to see that he was all right with her own eyes.

She ran her hand along the underside of her belly and winced in discomfort.

'Contraction?' Cam asked, getting to his feet.

'I just need to walk in off' Hope said breathlessly as he took her arm and led her down the short corridor and back again.

Maybe coming to Syracuse had been a terrible mistake; Hope was away from all the creature comforts of home - and miles away from her doctor - and if she hadn't been anxious enough to begin with, now, she was all stressed out about the unexpected turn of events. They had just taken a few steps away from the waiting room when they spotted Neal and Sara coming down the hallway towards them. Her mom looked pale and Hope prepared to hear some distressing news; she accelerated the pace to make her way towards her parents with Cameron doing his best to keep up with her despite his much longer legs.

'What's going on?' she asked, concern apparent in her eyes.

Neal let go of Sara's arm and reached for Hope's instead. 'What are you doing walking around like that?' he asked, solicitous.

'Try holding her down' Cam commented as he finally caught up to the group.

'Honey, he's fine' Sara said, doing her best to sound reassuring. 'He's sitting up in bed being obnoxious… and he wants to see you.'

Hope let out a sigh of relief. 'Really? He's all right?'

'Yeah, he just got the wind knocked out of him, that's all' Neal lied without even a hint of hesitation. 'Come on, I'll take you' he said, reaching for her arm.

'See, I told you everything was going to be okay' Cam said, preparing to follow her in.

He picked up on a furtive look in Neal's eyes and the subtlest of head nods in Sara's direction and although he had no idea why Neal would want him to stay behind with Sara, there was no doubt as to the message being telegraphed in his father-in-law's eyes.

'Why don't you go ahead and I'll wait here with your mom' he suggested as Sara glared at Neal - who had strategically turned away in order to avoid her blistering scowl.

Hope seemed oblivious to the interchange between them; she was eager to see her brother and she followed her dad down the hallway while Cam settled in next to Sara in the busy waiting room.

'Are _you_ all right? You seem upset' Cameron asked his mother-in-law, sensing something wasn't quite right.

Now that his attention was focussed solely on her, he could see how pale she looked - maybe the news regarding Liam wasn't all that good.

'I'm fine… just worried about Liam' she admitted, preparing to tell him everything. 'The truth is, he's been getting threatening e-mails and the doctor says he ingested some substance called tetra something and that's what made his sick.'

'Ingested?' Cameron repeated.

'He's going to be fine… but we think someone slipped him this stuff on purpose, not sure how yet' she explained.

Cameron's eyes grew wide. 'Wow, that sounds like something out of a movie.'

'Tell me about it. Neal had to call the police' Sara said. 'But Hope doesn't need to know all this… not yet, anyway.'

Cameron nodded in agreement and his frown deepened. 'You're right, she's really… fragile at the moment. I don't know if it's just worrying about the birth but… well, she hasn't been herself over the last few weeks.'

Sara studied her son-in-law - all six foot four of him, looking like a little kid who'd been kicked in the teeth; he loved his wife and he obviously hated to see her struggling.

'It's just… tough towards the end, that's all' Sara said in an attempt to reassure him. 'We all just need to rally around her, right?'

'Yeah, I'm trying to stay positive but I really wish she'd slow down and take some time off' he confessed. 'But you know how she is, she's stubborn and pig-headed and… she drives me crazy in _every_ way - good and bad.'

'I've heard Neal complain about the very same thing for the past twenty-five years. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' Sara replied with a soft laugh.

'Cam…' she continued as she thought ahead to the next twenty-four hours. 'How would you feel about driving back with Hope and Cody tomorrow? Cody has to get back to write an exam and Neal and I are going to stay behind for a day or so, just until all this is resolved.'

'Sure' Cam replied. 'Are you sure you don't want us to stay?'

'We can take the train or the bus back. We just want to make sure we get to the bottom of this. The last thing Hope needs right now is to be worrying about her brother.'

Cam nodded; it was hard to argue with that sentiment.

WCWCWC

Hope was relieved to find her brother sitting up in bed in the emergency room, just as her dad had said he was. She shuffled in as fast as her legs would carry her and she threw her arms around Liam's neck, squeezing him a little too tightly as her breathing increased.

'Hope!' Liam called out as Cody watched the scene play out with amusement. Those two had always been close and he knew how much Liam missed having his sister around now that he was so far away from home.

'I was _so_ worried' she said breathlessly as she held on to him, with no respite in sight.

Liam looked over her shoulder at Cody and his dad, rolling his eyes. Hope could be such a drama queen at times - second only to their mom. After a moment, she disentangled herself from him and took a step back and Liam couldn't help but stare at the large, protruding baby bump. He hadn't seen her in a couple of months and he couldn't believe how big she'd gotten since the last time he'd laid eyes on her.

'That's where it went…' he said pointing to her stomach with a gleam in his eye.

Hope stared back, puzzled. 'We were missing a basketball at practice yesterday.'

'You little sh…' she said, thinking better of it and holding back the four letter word that lay on the tip of her tongue. 'You're damn lucky you're laying in a hospital bed or I'd…'

'Oh yeah? Look, I'm shaking' Liam teased, putting out his hand and pretending to tremble - although that wasn't much of a stretch.

'So, I finally come all the way up here to watch you play and _you_ decide to get the wind knocked out of you' she said as Liam glanced up at his dad.

They had agreed not to share the details of what had happened with Hope but Liam didn't know _what_ explanation his parents had given for him having been rushed to hospital. He shrugged and smiled that Caffrey smile, relieved that she seemed satisfied with the explanation - at least for the moment.

'So, why are you all hooked up?' she asked, pointing to the IV pole.

Cody piped up, bringing his hand to rest on Liam's arm. 'I keep telling him he doesn't drink enough fluids before games but… well, he got a bit dehydrated.'

Hope smiled in response, relieved to see that all her worries had been for naught. 'I'm just relieved you're okay' she said, giving in to her shaky legs and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Neal looked down at his two kids; so different in every possible way - both physically and temperament-wise and yet they were as close as siblings could be and it was reassuring to know they would always have each other to rely on.

'Now that you've seen him with your own eyes…' Neal began, settling his hands on Hope's shoulders, '…you and Cam need to get to the hotel and get a good night's sleep. Cody and Mom and I will stick around until they release Liam and we'll bring him back with us for the night.'

He was hoping Hope wouldn't give him any pushback but she was stubborn and he was prepared with an argument, just in case.

'But Dad…' she began, as expected.

'Honey, I need you to go. I called the hotel and they're only holding our rooms until 10:00' Neal said, insistent.

Hope let out a sigh. 'Can I see you in the morning?' she asked her brother.

'Yeah…' he replied, forcing a smile. '… of course. We can all have breakfast together before you head back to New York.'

Hope looked from her brother to Cody and back to her dad; she was exhausted and the promise of spending some quality time with Liam in the morning seemed to be just enough to push her over the edge and right into a nice, comfy bed.

'All right…' she relented as she leaned in to kiss her brother on the cheek.

'Night sis' he said as Neal helped her to her feet. 'Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.'

Neal took Hope's arm, preparing to escort his daughter back to the waiting room. 'Be right back' he said with a wink.

WCWCWC

Liam lay in bed, growing restless and looking more like his old self by the minute. Surrounding him were his boyfriend, his parents, Ted Backstrom, the team's head coach as well as Josh Monteith both of whom had hightailed it over to the hospital the minute the game had ended.

Before the two men even had the chance to inquire about the status of Liam's health, the captain of the team sat up to greet him, wanting to know about the outcome of the game.

'We lost by six points' Josh reported, with regret.

'As hard as they tried, the guys couldn't pull it together after you were escorted off the court. Half of them are out in the waiting room, by the way' the coach said.

'We'll get them next time, coach' Liam said, his voice weak.

'So, what's the verdict?' coach Backstrom asked.

Liam rested his eyes for a moment, deferring to his dad; he was exhausted, still recovering from the frightening experience of having his body betray him.

'The doctor said he ingested some substance that made him sick' Neal explained.

'Tetrahydrozonile?' the coach asked.

'Yeah, how did you know?' Neal asked, eyes narrowing.

'When Mike told me about Liam's symptoms, I remembered we had a few cases of hazing on the team a few years back. Some of the players thought it was a harmless prank to pull on the rookies at initiation - up until one of them ended up in hospital, that is.'

'Coach, Liam has been getting anonymous e-mails for the past week or so' Josh volunteered. 'Threats that he would be forced out if he didn't quit the team.'

Coach Backstrom's eyes grew in surprise. 'Why didn't you two say anything?'

Liam shrugged. 'It's not the first time I've gotten hate mail' he admitted sadly. 'I thought if I ignored it, it would just stop… eventually.

The man ran his hand through his hair and shook his head in disbelief. 'Is this… homophobic stuff?' he asked as Liam nodded.

'Liam, you have to report this to the university. It's clearly in violation of the school's policy on harassment' he added, becoming agitated.

Cody gave Liam the 'I told you so' look and Liam shook it off. 'I met with my academic counsellor yesterday and they're working on tracing the source of the e-mails.'

Coach Backstrom looked from Neal to Sara. 'This is different, though. We've got to report this to the police, it's clearly assault' the coach said, his mind reeling.

Just the thought of someone on the team turning against one of their own was mind-boggling. He and the coaching staff had worked hard to develop a strong work ethic among the young men on the team and mutual respect was an important part of that. He thought they'd been succeeding. Although they'd never addressed Liam's sexual orientation in a direct manner, it was no secret on the team and he'd never heard any inappropriate comments in the past - maybe they should have been clearer, more supportive of their star player.

'Any thoughts on who might have done this?' the coach asked, addressing Josh.

'The guys on the team have always been cool with Liam's sexual orientation… I can't think of anyone who'd want to hurt him' Josh opined. 'I suppose it could be just about anybody on campus…'

Liam squirmed on the bed, uncomfortable with being the centre of attention and Cody moved in closer, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

'The doctor said this stuff acts quickly - we're thinking maybe it was slipped into Liam's water bottle' Neal said. 'Who handles those things for the team?'

'The training staff prepare everything ahead of time, towels, water bottles so that everything is ready for the start of the game' he said, grabbing for his phone. 'I'll call and get one of the coaches to make sure Liam's bottle isn't tampered with until it can be analysed.'

Neal and Sara looked at each other, worry mounting. This was far from over; the police would want to investigate and Liam would be further under the microscope, something he would absolutely hate.

The curtain in the small space was pulled open and one of the nurses stood with a man in the ugliest, most rumpled suit Neal had ever seen - definitely a cop.

'This gentleman would like a word' she said.

WCWCWC

The hotel was fully booked and Cody and Liam ended up sharing the second bed in Neal and Sara's room. Except for keeping him well hydrated, there was not much else doctors could do for Liam and he'd been released from hospital at around two in the morning. He was exhausted from his ordeal and he was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Neal and Sara, on the other hand, lay in silence for a while before nodding off, unable to share their mutual concern out loud, considering their son was in the bed next to them.

The police had taken down the pertinent information and was poised to start its investigation first thing in the morning, beginning with questioning the team's training staff. Neal and Sara's job as parents was to support their son and they were committed to remaining by his side until this issue was resolved.

Neal woke to the sound of Sara's soft voice as she spoke to Caitlin on the phone. The boys were nowhere in sight and he assumed they had already showered and dressed - although he couldn't fathom how he'd slept through it all.

'Oh, and honey, could you take Raffie to his vet appointment this afternoon. I thought we'd be back in time but…' Sara said as she noticed her husband was awake and smiled at him.

'Thanks, sweetie. We'll let you know our plans as soon as we figure things out' she added before hanging up and returning to sit on the edge of the bed.

'The guys are already showered and dressed?' he asked, still groggy.

'You were snoring so loudly, you didn't hear a thing' she replied as she brushed a wayward lock of hair from his forehead. 'They went down to meet Hope and Cam.'

Neal pushed off the bed and prepared to hit the shower. 'I want to go back with Liam and meet his academic counsellor. She needs to know things have escalated since last night.'

Sara nodded. 'Sure, we can do that.'

Neal turned around, returning to where she sat and looking down at her with a look she could only describe as condescending although if asked, he would surely have described it as lovingly doting. ' _You_ are going to take it easy today, do you hear me? You scared the crap out of me last night.'

'Neal, I'm fine. I just got a little overwhelmed by the situation, that's all' she replied as calmly as she could.

'Well, the first thing we're going to do when we get home is get you in to see Dr. Cooper and figure out why it happened' he said authoritatively.

She stood, successfully deflecting. 'Jump in the shower and come join us downstairs. We need to get Hope and Cam on the road before she figures out what's really going on.'

WCWCWC

Cody Miller stood in the hotel room, throwing his clothes into his overnight bag while Liam sat on the nearby bed and watched.

'This really sucks' Cody complained.

Liam gave him an amused smile. 'I suspect Columbia won't accept ' _holding your boyfriend's hand_ ' as an acceptable excuse for not showing up to write your microbiology final.'

Cody continued with the task, giving Liam a deathly stare and Liam stood to stand next to him.

'Look, I'm all right. See?' Liam said, arms outstretched. 'And my folks are here and we'll get to the bottom of it.'

Cody wasn't thrilled with the situation but he let Liam put his arms around him and the two men hugged in silence for a moment, preparing to say goodbye. They pulled apart and Liam gave Cody one of those Caffrey smiles that made him melt - even in such trying circumstances. Their lips met and, for all his bravado, Cody could feel his boyfriend trembling slightly - not surprising after what he'd just been through.

'You'll call me later?' Cody asked, grabbing for the bag.

'Promise. As soon as we know anything' Liam reassured him.

The door to the room opened to reveal Neal and Sara, embarrassed to walk in on what they perceived to be an intimate moment. 'Sorry guys… we can come back' Neal murmured as he took a step back.

'It's okay, I gotta got' Cody said with regret. 'Are Hope and Cam already downstairs?'

'They're waiting for you in the car' Sara said as she reached out to hug the young man.

Cody gave Liam one last longing look and disappeared from view and suddenly Neal and Sara were on either side of their son, arms reaching out to comfort him. Liam relaxed in his parents' embrace; he wasn't alone and he could face just about anything if he had their love and support.

WCWCWC

The entire training team sat in the Orange's dressing room in stunned silence as they took turns meeting with the police officers who had been called in to investigate the incident. An analysis of the water bottles had revealed that the one marked ' _Liam Caffrey_ ' held traces of tetrahydrozonile - a confirmation as to the source of the poisoning Liam had suffered.

The three members of the coaching staff met in an adjoining room, discussing the issue and strategizing about the next steps. The local press had already begun to theorize about the ailment that had struck down the team's star player the previous night, some speculating that Liam had the flu, others going so far as to suggest he was hiding some more serious ailment. Injuries were rarely disclosed - especially during playoffs when teams wanted to come from a position of strength, often choosing to conceal any weaknesses that might be exploited by other teams.

'I think maybe we've been too ambiguous in the past; we should be thinking about speaking out clearly about homophobia on the team' Joe Reynolds said with emotion. As offensive coach, he was the one who worked most closely with Liam and he had always found him to be a fine, upstanding young man, respectful of authority and a wonderful role model for his teammates. He hated the thought of him being treated with disrespect.

The head coach frowned; they'd always had a more of a 'don't ask, don't tell' philosophy when it came to sexual orientation but maybe it was time to be more direct and call out any anti-gay sentiments and make clear that such attitudes would not be tolerated.

'We don't know exactly where this is coming from yet. I think we need to see who's responsible first… and then we can send a clear message that this behaviour is totally unacceptable' he argued.

The offensive coach shrugged. He'd been advocating for more openness for a while now, but Liam himself was not comfortable with coming out publicly and the man had wanted to respect young Caffrey's wishes. He knew all too well how difficult it was for gay men on sports teams to speak openly about their sexuality, not that Liam hid his orientation, he just didn't flaunt it and that was entirely his right. Cody was around a lot and everyone on the team knew his relationship to Liam but the captain of the team had no interest in getting on a soap box and sharing the status of his relationship for the whole world to hear.

The three men watched through the glass doors as one of the trainers stepped out of the treatment room, doubling as an interrogation room on this occasion, and one of the student helpers stepped in to meet with the police. She was the girlfriend of one of the players and at first, they'd hesitated about hiring her. But she'd been efficient and professional and she hadn't given them any trouble - although she seemed to always be on her boyfriend's case about getting more recognition from the coaches.

The rest of the training team sat in the large open space, looking shell shocked, as they waited their turn to be questioned. There were the two team trainers, Mike Richardson and Matt Lindstrom as well as the students who worked part-time, Samantha Reeves, Pete Jacobsen and Julie Prentice.

Without the benefit of knowing what had been uncovered, they were grilled individually on who did what on the team, who had the responsibility for preparing the water bottles and what, exactly, had transpired the previous night. The truth would come out… sooner or later.

WCWCWC

Neal and Liam drove over to Liam's dorm in order to collect some of his things; he'd been excused from class for the day and while Sara rested, the men collected a few odds and ends to bring back to the hotel room while they waited for a return call from Liam's advisor.

'How's your stomach feeling?' Neal asked. Liam had managed to eat a little bit at breakfast, mostly as a guise to keep Hope from becoming suspicious - considering she'd been watching him wolf down large quantities of food for many years now.

'Better' Liam replied. 'Believe it or not, I'm actually getting hungry.'

'That's a good sign' Neal said. 'Do you need this book?' he asked as he helped Liam put stuff in a duffle bag.

'No. I hope I'll be back here by tonight.'

Neal gave him a leery look; he wasn't letting his son out of his sight until this whole mess was cleared up - no matter how long it took to unravel the mystery.

'Mom's looking really pale' Liam commented. 'Is she all right?'

Neal was tempted to sidestep the question but he felt the need to share his nagging worry with someone. 'She passed out last night… at the hospital.'

'Really?' Liam responded, concern in his eyes. 'How come?'

'She got herself all worked up and… the doctor said her blood pressure was low' Neal said, looking into his son's eyes. 'I noticed she gets out of breath sometimes and she's been tired lately… We'll get her checked out when we get home.'

Liam had just opened his mouth to respond when the phone in his pocket rang and he reached for it.

'Yes, this is Liam' Neal heard him say. 'I'm fine, thanks. Yeah, two o'clock is fine… my dad will be with me' he said as Neal listened in. 'Oh, all right. Thank you.'

Neal looked over at his son expectantly. 'That was Ms Matthews. We're meeting her at two… and she said the dean will be there as well as Coach Backstrom… and the police.'

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

'Mom?' Rebecca Hastings whispered as she peered into her mother's dimly lit room on her way to work.

There was deathly silence; it was no wonder, considering she'd heard her rattling around the house until the wee small hours of the morning.

Insomnia had become an everyday - or was that every night - occurrence over the past several months as her mom became consumed with plotting and scheming, a much too elaborate scheme as far as Rebecca was concerned.

Iris' anger and animosity towards Winston Bosch had been festering for years but it had all come to a head with a single phone call, two years before - an early morning call from a high falutin legal firm requesting a meeting with her. To her surprise, after more than twenty-five years of estrangement, her dad had passed away, leaving his only daughter as sole heir to his fortune. He'd been a successful rancher in Wyoming and by the time the estate was settled, Iris had inherited the tidy sum of $1.8 million.

It had turned out to be a poison gift.

Instead of giving her daughter and herself the life they'd been denied and had always dreamed of, Iris had turned her sights on Winston Bosch and making his life pure hell. She was not of sound mind and, despite Rebecca's pleas to see reason, it had been impossible to quell her mother's thirst for revenge.

Getting Rebecca a job in Winston Bosch's office had been the first logical step in her diabolical plan. It had been simple enough; Rebecca was a trained assistant and she was beautiful - two basic criteria for a man like Bosch. At first, Iris had feared he might unwittingly start coming on to his own daughter but, except for a few leers and inappropriate comments, he had maintained a safe distance from her, to Iris' - and Rebecca's - relief.

From then on, the bitterness that had been smouldering for all those years had found new life, nurtured on a daily basis by her daughter as she filled Iris in regarding the goings-on at Sterling Bosch. Iris despaired at her ex-lover's successes and revelled in his hardships and she began to plot a way to make his life miserable: destroying what he held so dear, his stellar reputation.

Rebecca sighed loudly and walked over to kiss her mom's cheek as she lay, sound asleep. She just wanted this all to be all over. She didn't have the heart to abandon her mom, not when the older woman had been there for her all her life. Besides, she feared what Iris might stoop to in a moment of desperation. As her health had deteriorated, she'd become impossible to reason with and all Rebecca could do was stand by her, no matter how irrational her behaviour had become.

She stepped out into the bright sunshine and got behind the wheel of her car, heading to Manhattan and to the offices of Sterling Bosch to do her mother's bidding.

WCWCWC

Sara paced the small space in the hotel room as she waited for Neal and Liam to return from their meeting with Andrea Matthews. She'd wanted to go along with them but, at Neal's urging, she'd agreed to stay back and take it easy; after all, the two men were more than capable of handling things without her. And besides, in situations like this, Neal was much better at keeping his cool than she was. She was the first to admit she could get a little emotional when it came to their kids and, frankly, Liam didn't need the additional drama.

She felt her heart pounding wildly in her chest; an uneasy feeling she'd grown accustomed to as of late. She'd started to suspect she might be having some sort of issue with the old ticker but she'd been in denial for months, putting off her annual check-up twice already. The palpitations were sporadic at best and besides, she had too much to do with work, getting ready for Hope's baby and now, preparing for the big party and their trip abroad. She took in a deep breath, trying to control the thumping in her chest and doing her best to ignore the lightheadedness that was par for the course these days.

The walls began to close in on her and she decided she needed to get out of the room before she suffocated. She made her way down to the lobby, quiet in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon, and she glanced over at the nearby bar, making the knee-jerk decision to settle in one of the comfy couches and have a drink while she waited.

She'd just settled with her libation when her phone vibrated in her pocket and she practically jumped out of her skin. She glanced down, holding her breath.

' _On our way back, everything's good_ ' the text from Neal read.

She let out a slow, painful breath and took a sip of her martini. ' _Everything's good_ ' was certainly encouraging - whether it meant they had some definitive answers was still up for debate. She took advantage of having her phone in her hand to send a message to Hope, asking if they'd made it home safely.

Hope's response was immediate. The drive had been uneventful, she responded, and she was resting at home while Cam had gone over to the gallery to see how things were going. _Were they having a nice visit with Liam?_ Hope texted back. It had been the pretext Sara and Neal had given for wanting to stay behind for an extra couple of days.

' _Wonderful visit_ ' Sara responded, her hands shaking from the lie. It _was_ wonderful - if you enjoyed having to deal with homophobic vitriol, hateful e-mails and attempted poisonings.

She felt a presence looming over her and practically dropped her phone into her drink as she startled.

'Is this what you've been reduced to, Repo? Drinking in the middle of the afternoon?' Neal asked with a smirk as he stood there with Liam by his side.

'You're back!' she exclaimed looking from her son to her husband, trying to surmise what had happened just from the look on their faces.

Liam took a seat next to his mom and Neal glanced over towards the bar. 'Do you want a drink?' he asked his son.

'7-up' Liam responded as he brought his arm to rest on the couch behind his mom.

Every now and then, it still struck Sara that this strapping young man was her baby boy. He was no longer the awkward, gangly teenager she'd watch grow up and he'd long ago surpassed her both in height and weight. With time, he'd grown nicely into those long, lanky limbs of his and he'd filled out in all the right places, looking much more mature than his twenty years especially today, as he sat there in a shirt and tie.

'You okay?' she asked, hand on his as Neal returned with a soft drink for both of them.

Liam nodded. 'They've made an arrest' he replied as Sara's eyes grew wide.

'An arrest?' she repeated, looking across at Neal.

'They were able to figure out whose account those e-mails were coming from and when the police confronted her, she admitted everything - including putting the tetrahydrozonile in Liam's water bottle.'

'She?' Sara repeated, dumbfounded.

'Julie Prentice. She's on the training team - or at least, she _was_ ' Liam answered.

'And apparently, she's the girlfriend of one of the players on the team' Neal clarified.

'Not anymore…' Liam added with a wag of his eyebrows.

'But… why?' Sara asked, on the edge of her seat.

'She told police she was upset about Liam being named captain when her boyfriend had put in four long years on the team. She says it was a just a prank and she never meant for Liam to get hurt.'

Sara listened, mouth hanging open. 'Do you think he knew what she was up to?'

'Kevin?' Liam said. 'No, he didn't. He's already texted me to tell me how shocked he is. Julie was always hanging around, pushing him to ask for more recognition from the coaches. She probably thought he'd have a chance at making captain if I pulled out.'

'Wow! That's incredible. I had no idea college sports could be so cut throat' Sara replied, finally beginning to relax.

Neal took a sip of his drink and glanced over at his son. 'Liam, you conducted yourself with so much class today. I'm really proud of you' he said.

As per usual, Liam shrugged, uncomfortable with the compliment.

'So what happens next?' Sara asked.

'She's been arrested and charged and we'll have to see from there… see if she pleads guilty' Neal explained.

'She's also been fired from the team and she's been expelled from the university' said Liam.

Sara stared ahead in disbelief; what an incredibly sad, sordid affair.

'How are you feeling, honey?' she asked soberly, turning to look at Liam.

'Famished' he said, deadpan.

Sara couldn't hold back a chuckle. 'I meant about all this but… all right, famished.'

Neal leaned in and grazed her knee and she looked up at his smiling face. 'I think he's going to be all right' he said with a gleam in his eye.

WCWCWC

'Rebecca!' Winston Bosch's booming voice was heard from behind his closed office door.

'Yes sir' the young woman said, letting herself in and stepping into his inner sanctum.

'Can you call down to Sara Ellis' office. Tell her I'd like to see her.'

'Sir, Ms Ellis has taken a couple of personal days off' Rebecca informed him.

'Personal days?' Bosch responded with bluster. 'What for?'

Rebecca smiled. 'Sir, it's _personal_ leave, I didn't ask.'

'Well, find her for me, get her on the phone' he ordered before returning to reading the document in his hand.

She turned away and Winston Bosch studied her as she walked out. There was something so familiar about his young assistant - something he'd never been able to pin down; maybe it was her sweet, innocent smile or the pale blue in her eyes. He shook off the notion; he was getting a little long in the tooth to be flirting with young women - something he'd always enjoyed doing in the past.

Now that he was in his twilight years, he'd begun to curtail his wild ways and over the past few years, he'd managed to remain faithful to his third wife. He'd had a brief affair two years into their marriage when she had gotten pregnant and had been less inclined to put out but since his son's birth six years earlier, he'd reigned in his roaming eye and had been a faithful husband, sometimes to his dismay.

He thought back to the parade of young women he'd employed over his years at Sterling Bosch, all beautiful young women who'd gladly given in to his charms - or was that his pocketbook. He knew how to treat women, make them feel special and desirable and he'd had affairs with every one of his six personal assistants over the years - except for Rebecca Hastings and her predecessor who had gotten married six months after he'd employed her and had left to go on maternity leave, never to return again.

Those years were gone, he realized. He no longer had the energy or the inclination to chase skirts around his desk. He thought back to beautiful, bright eyed Iris, his very first assistant after he'd made partner; she'd been sweet and innocent and he'd really taken a shine to her up until that whole mess had erupted. When she'd told him she was pregnant, he'd panicked. He was already on his second marriage and his wife was a real barracuda. If she'd found out he was fooling around, she would have divorced him and gone after everything he had. It had been bad enough that he was paying alimony and child support to 'wife number one' - he had no interest in doubling up his payments.

It had been easy enough to intimidate his young assistant - whose last name seemed to escape him at the moment. He had threatened to make her life hell if she divulged the paternity of her baby and as she became more demanding, he'd gotten fed up and had fired her ass without as much as a second thought. He wondered in passing what had become of her - and her baby; she'd probably returned to her daddy's ranch somewhere in Montana or Idaho, he couldn't recall.

'Sir, I have Ms Ellis on the phone' Rebecca said, peeking through a crack in the door.

'Put her through' he barked back.

WCWCWC

'Honey, pinch me' Neal said, putting out his arm.

Sara gave him a look of confusion. 'Pinch you?'

'Yeah, we're in a restaurant with our son and there's no garlic bread in sight' he teased as Liam gave him a look of pure annoyance.

'Italian food isn't the _only_ kind of food I like' the young man argued, tucking into his sixteen ounce sirloin and oversized baked potato stuffed with bacon and sour cream.

'Well, if you eat that whole thing, we're going to have to ask for a wheelbarrow to get you out to the car' Neal replied with a chuckle.

It was a huge relief to have the whole messy situation behind them and Liam was feeling like he could finally breathe and with breathing, came eating - _lots_ of eating in order to fuel that high performance furnace of his.

'So, what happens now?' Sara asked.

'The coach called a meeting for tonight… to fill everyone in on what happened' Liam said, looking uncomfortable. 'I just don't want this to become a… thing' he added wistfully.

'A thing? Honey, you were bullied, threatened and poisoned. I think that definitely qualifies as a _thing_ ' Sara replied in her no-nonsense way.

She took a sip of wine as Neal studied her. It had taken her three years to feel comfortable enough to have any type of alcohol in Neal's presence - although he would have been fine with it from the start. During his rehab, they had rid the house of all wine and other spirits, something Neal had appreciated as he got used to life without booze. But slowly, wine had begun to creep back into the house whenever they had company and over time, he'd gotten used to having it around without feeling strange about being the only one not to partake. Sara still didn't bring wine into the house unless they were hosting a dinner party and she and Neal had turned to other beverages such as specialty fizzy drinks and non-alcoholic 'wine' or bubbly to celebrate their special occasions.

Neal looked from his wife to his son and lifted his glass of San Pellegrino in a toast. 'Here's to you, buddy. You've been amazing through all this.'

'Here, here' Sara said, joining in the toast. 'We're really proud of you, sweetie.'

Liam shrugged and picked up his glass, smiling at both his parents. 'I know I said I could handle this on my own' he began, '… but I'm really glad I didn't have to.'

'You _never_ do, Liam. As long as Mom and I are walking this earth… we'll always be there to stand with you. Always.'

'Damn it!' Sara exclaimed as her phone vibrated, decidedly breaking the mood and soliciting a sigh from her husband. 'It's the office.'

She stood, rolling her eyes and moved away from the table, leaving the two men alone.

'I love Mom' Liam said with a chuckle. 'She's so…'

'Blunt? Politically incorrect? Tactless?' Neal offered.

'I was going to say outspoken but I guess those other descriptions apply' Liam replied with a soft chuckle.

Neal smiled. 'Well, call it what you like, she loves you and so do I. I meant it when I said you can always count on us. I know you're strong and smart and brave and you can deal with things on your own… and I can't even imagine the crap you've had to put with but don't… please, don't keep things to yourself. You're never alone.'

Sara returned and stood before them, hand on her hip and scowl on her face. 'Well, it looks like the shit has hit the fan. Mr. Bosch wants me back in the office.'

WCWCWC

'This is nice' Sara said as she curled her legs up beneath her and lay her head on Neal's shoulder.

The sun was streaming in through the panoramic window on the train, making her feel like a cat, all warm and cozy. Neal grinned, enjoying the feel of his wife curled up tightly against him. It was nice to see her finally relax after the high drama back in Syracuse; she even seemed to have momentarily set aside her worries about work, which was waiting for her the moment they stepped off the train.

'This _is_ nice' he agreed. 'Better than driving home, that's for sure.'

She lifted her head and, after ascertaining that they weren't in anyone's direct sight, she placed a nice long kiss on her husband's lips, leaving behind a warm smile as her hand lingered on his thigh.

'Yeah…' she murmured, 'you can't do _this_ while you're driving.'

'Well, you can…technically…' Neal replied playfully, moving in for seconds. '… if you don't mind driving off the road and into a ditch.'

She gazed into his eyes, melting at the sight of those deep blue orbits. 'So… still want to marry me, Caffrey?' she asked.

'More than ever…' he whispered as he brought his lips to the tip of her nose. 'You?'

'Uh huh' she murmured, eyes bright.

'It's going to be great to see everybody there, celebrating with us' he commented.

'Oh, that reminds me. We're up to 35 confirmed guests' Sara said, sitting up straight, her voice growing excited. 'And guess what? Emily's coming to town next week to help me shop for a dress.'

'Oh yeah?' Neal asked. His gaze lingered on her face; her enthusiasm was contagious. 'What kind of dress?'

'Oh no, you don't. It's going to be a surprise up until the moment I step out to join you in our backyard. Have you decided what you're going to wear?'

Neal shrugged. 'I was thinking about wearing those khaki shorts you hate so much and my ' _Best Dad ever_ ' t-shirt - if I can remember to put it in the wash.'

Sara shoved him playfully and Neal smirked at how easy it was to wind her up.

'So, no go on that cameo, huh?' he asked, changing the subject.

'Lydia says it was a false alarm. Wrong cameo' Sara replied, her eyes narrowing. 'Whoever is doing this is sitting on an awful lot of stuff… and I can't figure out why they're doing this.'

'Well, finding out _why_ would definitely point us in the right direction. Peter and I are going to get started on those leads we got. And we want to visit that old friend of Winston Bosch's to see if that will lead us anywhere.'

There was silence for a moment as the two of them pondered their case.

'Can you get me in to see him tomorrow? I _know_ he's holding out on us' Neal said. 'I'm starting to think all those suspects we're looking at are nothing but a smoke screen.'

'You think my boss is holding back on some deep dark secret from his past?' Sara asked, intrigued.

She'd worked for the man for years and years but to say she knew him well was a stretch. He had a reputation as a ladies man and a hard drinker but she'd never witnessed anything untoward in her dealings with him.

'Don't we _all_ have things from our past we hope will never come out?' he said knowingly.

'I suppose…' Sara replied, the mood growing much too serious for her liking. She thought back to their meeting with her boss the previous week. Something had been eating at her ever since that day.

'His office assistant…' she mused, thinking out loud. 'She can't be making enough money to buy those expensive shoes she was wearing. Maybe I should try to find out more about her.'

'You thinking she might be a mole?' Neal asked, his curiosity piqued.

'She hasn't worked there very long… and she would have access to all kinds of stuff in his office' Sara theorized.

Neal's phone vibrated and he glanced down at it.

'Mozzie…' he mumbled as he read. 'I think we're going to have to start reigning him in. I don't even want to repeat what he just suggested; you might not want to show up at the wedding if you knew.'

'Well, as long as I get to keep my hair' Sara said as Neal raised his eyebrows in response. 'And he can forget about me getting henna tattoos all over my body too.'

'All the more reason to clarify our position right up front' Neal said in agreement. 'He did mention a tradition where the bride and groom eat soup out of a toilet bowl so it's definitely time to pull the plug before he gets even more carried away.'

'Neal, what have we done?' Sara asked, looking alarmed.

'Don't worry' Neal said, taking her chin in his hand and depositing a sweet kiss on her lips. 'I'll talk to him.'

Sara gave him a bright smile and let out a loud sigh. 'Life is good, huh Caffrey?'

Neal thought back to the episode in the hospital ER the night before; he'd feel a whole lot better once Sara got properly checked out.

'Yeah, Repo' he said, pulling her in tightly against his chest and placing a kiss on her forehead. 'Life is good.'

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Friday morning signalled a return to the daily grind. Peter and Neal prepared to return to the 'case du jour', Hope and Cam were back at work at the gallery, Liam stepped out from under the cloud that had been following him for over a week and Sara braced herself to face her boss' wrath over at Sterling Bosch.

She sat at her make-up table, putting the finishing touches on her face and watching as Neal strolled into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair dripping wet.

'Neal, please!' she shouted, visibly annoyed.

'What?' he replied, feigning ignorance - although his wife complained about the same thing pretty well every morning. He made his way to the closet to start laying out his clothes for the day, choosing not to engage her.

'You're dripping water all over the carpet and then I have to walk through it with my stockings on' she complained, a familiar refrain.

Arguing was never the solution when Sara pointed out his shortcomings; instead, he gave her a mischievous grin and in a gesture of defiance, he shook his head vigorously, sending droplets of water scattering all the way across the room to where she sat, peeved.

She grumbled in response to his childish behaviour. 'Seriously Neal… how old are you?'

He gave her a disgruntled look. 'Why do you always have to make this about my age… you know how sensitive I am about that' he pouted as he took a few steps towards her, obviously on the attack.

'Then start acting like a sixty-one year old man instead of a ten-year-old kid' she griped.

Neal's eyes narrowed, now _he_ was annoyed and definitely out for revenge. He made his way to stand behind her as she watched him approaching in the mirror and she rushed to get to her feet in an attempt to fend him off, alas too late. He grabbed her from behind, his wet torso pressing up against her fine silk blouse and she let out a shriek - half amusement and half irritation at his oh so impulsive nature.

'CAFFREY! You… you…' she began.

But his lips were suddenly on hers and she relinquished control as he kissed her soundly, water dripping onto her blouse from his soaked hair. He reached for her face, in order to keep her in place and prolong the kiss but she pulled away and gave him an ominous look.

'NOT the hair' she shouted in a tone Neal recognized all too well. Even for a man as charming and seductive as Neal Caffrey, there were limits to what he could get away with - and this was definitely one of them.

'Seriously, Neal?' she moaned, trying to keep a straight face and be the adult in the room. 'When are you going to grow up?'

He gave her a self-assured grin and she sighed, realizing that deep down, she hoped he never would.

WCWCWC

By ten o'clock, Neal and Peter sat in Mel's diner, sharing coffee and discussing their case. While the Caffreys had been in Syracuse, Peter had begun digging into the past of the three individuals that had been singled out by Jones.

'Wow… you've been productive' Neal commented, eyebrows raised.

'Well, you know… there are down times at the gallery throughout the day' Peter replied with a smirk.

'You had a good time filling in for Hope and Cam, didn't you?' Neal said. It was impossible not to notice the twinkle in his ex-partner's eyes.

Peter looked like he was about to burst. 'Neal…' he said, his voice excited. 'How would you feel about me coming back to work at the gallery?'

Neal's face lit up; he'd been hoping for a while that this might happen. 'Really?'

Peter nodded excitedly.

'And El is good with that?' Neal asked.

'She's the one who suggested it' he replied. 'Part-time of course, maybe twenty hours a week?'

'Yeah! Whatever you want, Peter. We'd _love_ to have you back.'

'I was thinking I could go back to doing the books, helping out during peak hours, you know, free up Cam to do more scouting… whatever he and Hope need.'

'Hope…' Neal said with a wistful smile. 'She's going to be thrilled; she really misses you, you know.'

Peter looked like a proud peacock. 'I miss her, too. And she's going to need to start taking some time off - sooner than later.'

'Tell me about it' Neal replied. 'She so pig-headed… just like her mom.'

Neal's last comment might have gone unnoticed but Peter wondered if there was more to it than just a random statement in passing. He was about to find out.

'Sara passed out the other night while we were at the hospital in Syracuse' he admitted, to Peter's surprise.

'Passed out?'

'Yeah, things got a little intense and her legs got wobbly and the next thing I knew, she was crumbling to the ground and I barely caught her before she hit her head on the marble floor.'

'Maybe it was just all the stress from the situation with Liam' Peter offered.

'Maybe… but I want her to see Dr. Cooper before we leave on our trip and I know I'm going to have to _drag_ her there. I have a feeling she'd not telling me everything.'

Peter eyed Neal up and down - both their wives could be secretive at times not that the two of them didn't try to pull a fast one on the two women every now and then.

'Are you excited about your trip?' he asked, watching Neal's face light up.

Except for a quick back and forth on a case, Neal hadn't been to Europe in years. The last time he'd been overseas with Sara was fifteen years earlier for their second honeymoon, a memorable trip to Sicily. He couldn't wait to share the city of lights with her.

'Yeah… Paris. I've always dreamed of taking Sara there. You know, all those times Mozzie and I thought about slipping away, that was _always_ our destination.'

'Good to know…' Peter said with a gleam in his eye.

'I probably would have figured it out, anyway' he added with just a touch of arrogance.

Neal gave him the evil eye. 'Did you ever consider that the only reason you caught me all three times was because I _let_ you?' he said, his voice cocky.

'Whatever makes you feel better, Neal…' Peter retorted with a wink. It wasn't often he got one over on Neal, even nowadays.

The waitress returned to top off their coffees and the conversation returned to their current case.

'Well, these leads of ours have all but dried up' Neal remarked as he glanced at Peter's notes. 'You know, I'm convinced there's another angle we haven't looked at yet. I tried to get us in to see Winston Bosch today but he can't see us until Monday.'

'You think he's holding out on us?' Peter asked.

Neal nodded and took a sip of his coffee. 'I think the man has lived a very… colourful life and there are things he's not ready to share. But I _did_ get in touch with Walker Perry III, that old friend of his who got burned over that bad investment deal. He can see us tomorrow at his townhouse in Manhattan.'

'How did you manage that?' Peter asked, as always, curious about Neal's ability to talk himself in or out of sticky situations.

'I told him the FBI was investigating that deal that soured five years ago and that we needed to question him about some of the details. He was only too happy to oblige.'

Peter gave him a look of rebuke. 'You told him we were FBI?' he said, horrified.

Neal shrugged. 'Well, we _are_ … sort of…'

Peter's blood pressure was rising as evidenced by the pink flush suddenly appearing on his cheeks. He dropped his voice and looked around to make sure they weren't overheard. 'I can't go around impersonating an FBI agent' he declared categorically.

'Peter…' Neal began, trying to mollify him. 'Not to put too fine a point on it but you _were_ an FBI agent for over thirty-five years - it's a role you were born to play. Just take out that old, rumpled suit of yours…'

Peter cut him off, incensed - although it was unclear whether it was in response to the suggestion of subterfuge or because of Neal's unkind remarks about his beloved suit. 'I am _not_ going in there, pretending to be an FBI agent' he began, noticing Neal's self-assured smirk '… and neither are _you_!'

'Peter… this is undercover work. How many times have you and I had to go undercover and pretend to be something we weren't?'

'Yes… when we were _actually_ employed by the FBI! Not…'

'Look, if it makes you feel any better we'll ask Jones to deputize you' Neal suggested, remaining calm but coming off as condescending. 'Would that make you feel better, buddy?'

Peter shook his head in total disbelief; things were always so simple for Neal when he decided he wanted to get something done, there was always some loophole he could maneuver himself through - even now, so many years later.

Peter watched his best friend reach into his back pocket and pull out a small leather case that looked vaguely familiar. Neal flashed it and Peter's jaw dropped open as he recognized the fake FBI ID Neal had created when they'd worked the Stanzler case all those years ago.

'And I've got this… just in case' Neal said, looking rather smug.

'What the… but… but I confiscated that from you right after the Stanzler case' Peter moaned.

'Yeah…and you left it lying around your office for the taking' Neal replied.

' _Inside_ my desk' Peter corrected.

'Well, you should have known back then that anything you left lying around was fair game' Neal argued, eyebrows wagging.

'Look, I've only used it a couple of times…' he argued in justification as Peter stared back, incredulous.

'I'm kidding, I'm kidding' Neal said. He didn't want to be responsible for Peter having a coronary in the middle of the busy diner. 'I've just… well, I kept it along with some other… memorabilia from the old days.'

'So, let me get this straight' Peter said, breathing in and out slowly. 'You got in touch with this Perry guy and told him we were coming over to follow up on a suspected case of insider trading.'

Neal frowned in response. 'Not exactly… I did mention your name in passing and the words FBI and I let him draw his own conclusions.'

Peter let out an exasperated sigh. 'And what happens when he calls the Bureau to do a follow-up on the status of the investigation… you know, the one that DOESN'T EXIST.'

'Relax, I gave him Jones' name' Neal explained as calmly as he could. 'What did you expect me to say: _We want to come over to determine if you're a suspect in the harassment of our client?_ '

Things always became convoluted and complicated whenever Neal was involved and yet, the ex-con made it sound so simple; Peter wasn't sure if he should arrest him or admire him.

But then again, that had always been the question where Neal Caffrey was concerned.

WCWCWC

Winston Bosch had been on the phone from London with Dora Van Dyke on three separate occasions following the brazen theft of her beloved ruby tiara. It was her pride and joy, passed down from three generations and rumoured to have been commissioned by her great, great uncle, a German prince who had given it to his wife in the late 1800s. It was valued at $8.5 million and it was the third most expensive item insured by Sterling Bosch.

The ruby encrusted jewel had been removed from a safe in her bedroom while she'd been out at a charity function; nothing else had been taken - the tiara being the obvious target. It would be practically impossible to sell on the black market due to its notoriety, adding to Bosch's suspicion that this was all about revenge and not about money.

Adding insult to injury, time had run out on recovering the cameo brooch which had disappeared months earlier and Sterling Bosch was on the hook for a full payout of $3.8 million. The Board of Directors had called a special meeting for the following week to discuss the situation; someone had to take the fall for the insurance company's inability to recover such valuable items and it wasn't hard to know who the Board's finger would be pointed at.

There was a knock on the door and Winston Bosch barked back. 'Come in!'

'Sir, Ms Ellis is here' Rebecca Hastings announced meekly.

'Fine' he griped. 'Send her in.'

WCWCWC

The Raphael Gallery was brimming with the lunchtime crowd when Peter and Neal arrived shortly after noon. They found Cameron chatting with a customer and Mike, one of the part-timers, finalizing a transaction but, surprisingly, Hope was nowhere in sight.

Cam waved to the newcomers and excused himself to greet them.

'Hey, you're back' he said, addressing Neal. 'How's Liam doing?'

'He's great, I just talked to him this morning' Neal said, glancing around the large space.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he was looking for. 'She's in the backroom getting stuff ready for tomorrow's class' he said, nodding in that direction.

'How is she?' Neal asked, his face tense.

'The truth?' Cam asked, hesitating. 'Miserable, tired, irritable… need I go on?'

Peter and Neal exchanged worried looks; they hated to see their little princess having such a rough time.

'Well, I bring good news' Neal said, shaking off the momentary sadness. 'Peter's decided to come back to work part time.'

Cameron's face brightened at the news. 'Really?' he said, excited. 'Does that mean you're going to take over the books?' he added, referring to the job that had him cursing every month.

'If that's what you need, sure' Peter said, looking just as pleased as the gallery's manager.

Neal watched the interchange between the two of them, obviously thrilled that their previous collaboration was about to get a second wind.

'Why don't I let the two of you work out the details' Neal suggested, eager to catch up with his little girl. 'Mind if I…' he asked, pointing towards the backroom.

He walked away, nodding to a couple of longstanding customers and he knocked on the door to the room before entering. The sight of his daughter, sound asleep, hunched over the work table with her hair covering her face brought on a wave of nostalgia and a slew of memories.

All of a sudden, she was a newborn laying helplessly in his arms, a two-year-old who'd fallen asleep in the car on the way home from a busy day out, a four-year-old, snuggled up in her daddy's arms as he carried her up to bed.

Neal took a few tentative steps towards her, noticing that she was still grasping a handful of paintbrushes in her hand - she must have intended to just rest her eyes for a second before dropping off into a deep sleep. Her body was precariously perched on a stool, her hair fanned out around her with the tiniest bit of drool dripping from her bottom lip. He smiled and pulled up another stool, bringing his hand to her head and pushing her hair out of her face, finding her looking relaxed despite the uncomfortable position she was in. There were still small scars visible by the side of her face following the countless plastic surgeries she'd endured to put her back together again and he lovingly ran his hand alongside the pale discolouration as he smiled.

'Sweet pea…' he murmured as he gently ran his hand through her hair.

The movement seemed to tickle her nose and her eyes fluttered open as she looked up groggily.

'Daddy' she whispered and suddenly she was two years old again. 'Daddy!' she repeated, sitting up straight and throwing her arms around his neck.

'Hey' Neal said, cradling her in his arms. 'You know you're going to kill your back sitting like that.'

She pulled away, smiling at the sight of him. 'Did you have fun with Liam?' she asked.

'We did… but I missed _you_ ' he replied.

'Me too' she admitted with a sigh.

'Honey, why are you being so pig-headed about this. You should be home, resting' Neal said.

He noticed her swallowing hard and then tears appeared in her beautiful blue eyes as she shrugged. 'I don't know… I guess if I stay home it means… well, it means the baby is coming and then my life will change.'

Neal smiled down at her. 'Of course it will change… for the better' he replied, bringing his arm around her.

'Dad… what if I can't be a good mom? What if something happens to me again? What's going to happen to my baby?' she asked, hand on her belly.

'Oh, sweetheart, everybody worries about becoming a parent' Neal murmured, looking into her eyes and preparing to share a deep dark secret. 'I never told you… because it wasn't one of my proudest moments… but… right after you were born, I panicked. I was still working for the FBI, still on the anklet, and I started to worry that I might somehow… corrupt you, that maybe I wasn't worthy of being your dad and I ran off and I left you and your mom behind.'

Hope's face darkened as she listened; he'd been the best father she could have ever wanted and she'd had no idea he'd had these doubts early on.

'But Uncle Peter caught up with me and he made me realize that all you needed was my love and that you wouldn't care about the things I'd done in the past… that all that would matter was the future and what kind of man I became.'

The news washed over Hope like a tidal wave; she'd had no idea what her dad had been feeling during the hours following her birth.

'Honey, becoming a parent is terrifying. This little person counts on you for everything and you're afraid you won't rise to the occasion. But the truth is, you will… if you just open your heart and trust your instincts… Look, if an ex-con like me can raise an amazing human being like you, there's hope for anyone.'

The tears in Hope's eye began to overflow and run down her cheeks and she sniffled as Neal grabbed for a nearby tissue and wiped them away.

'Daddy, I love you' she said, emotion rising again. 'You are the best father I could have ever hoped for.'

'Now, will you listen to your old man and get some rest. We could pick up something to eat and we could go back to your place and maybe you can watch while I work on the mural' he suggested. 'What do you say?'

'Yeah… okay' she relented.

Neal sighed loudly and helped her to her feet. She was amazing and, not for the first time, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

WCWCWC

Sara had seen her boss in many different situations - during internal crises, staff firings, official functions, board meetings - but she'd never seen him blow his cool like he was doing as he stood over her in his office, losing his shit. She sat, feet crossed at the ankles, back straight as he railed at her about the latest theft.

'I want your best people on this, working with the London police. I want every lead tracked down, I want a full investigation' he ranted as she listened silently.

This latest theft, right on the heels of the payout for the cameo brooch had brought things to a head and the Board of Directors was beside itself as it saw the firm's reputation and assets going down the tubes.

There had been lots of payouts over the years, notably for Raphael's _St-George and the Dragon_ , which had cost the company millions of dollars but those were isolated cases, few and far between. It wasn't every week that Sterling Bosch had to pay millions of dollars to its clients in compensation and yet, over the past eighteen months, there had been a constant flow of unresolved cases leading to unprecedented payouts. As the figure head of the organization, the buck stopped with Winston Bosch and the board was growing increasingly impatient with him and what they perceived as insufficient attempts at getting to the bottom of those thefts.

'And where have you been the last two days' he railed. 'I didn't put you on this to have you take off on personal leave.'

'Sir, my son is away at university and he was rushed to hospital…' she began by way of explanation.

The man seemed to soften somewhat, realizing he should get to the facts before jumping to conclusions. He blinked and looked at Sara.

'Is he… is he all right?' he asked, his voice calmer.

'He's fine… now' she replied; that was all Sara was prepared to share for the moment.

'Who can you spare to go to London?' he continued, returning to the situation at hand. 'What about Jordan? She's a good head.'

Sara nodded. 'She's my best investigator. I can see about freeing her up to fly over.'

'Do it!' Bosch said, hands gesticulating. 'And why am I paying your husband, anyway? I suppose he was with you on your _personal leave_ ' he barked, air quotes and all.

'He and Peter Burke have been working with the FBI to identify some likely suspects from the list of ex-staff. They've narrowed it down and are looking into them individually' she explained.

Bosch seemed to have the wind knocked out of his sails and he let himself fall onto his leather chair.

'Fine… and why does your husband want to see me anyway?' he asked, blustery.

'He… he wants to explore some other leads with you and fill you in on his meeting with Walker Perry.'

The man seemed to grow pale at the mention of his old friend's name. 'He's meeting with Walker?' he asked.

'Tomorrow' Sara clarified.

Bosch nodded and his hand came up in a shooing motion. 'Now get back to work!' he said dismissively as Sara rose to leave.

Now that he was finished yelling at her, she could feel her legs turning to jelly and she stood, holding on to the edge of the desk, feeling light-headed. She teetered on her stiletto heels for a moment and thanked him for his time before taking her leave.

She didn't notice the curious stare she got from Rebecca Hastings as she exited the office suite.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

The Upper East Side brownstone didn't look like much from the outside, although looks could certainly be deceiving. The entrance hall Neal and Peter had been invited to step into featured a cathedral ceiling, an ornate, sweeping staircase, an impressive chandelier and what Neal immediately recognized as a couple of authentic Louis XIV armchairs.

They'd been ushered into the large foyer by a stuffy manservant - the occupant was definitely old school - and invited to sit and wait while 'Jeeves' summoned his master.

'Looks like our Mr. Perry has managed to bounce back' Neal commented, under his breath.

Peter snooped around, checking the art on the walls. 'This looks like an authentic Van Dyke' he whispered as he brought his face up nice and close to one of the portraits.

Neal's curiosity was piqued and he followed suit, grabbing for his eyeglasses from his shirt pocket and placing them on the bridge of his nose. He squinted in an exaggerated fashion as he examined the painting.

'No, it's not… but it's a good replica' he replied decisively as his eyes continued to sweep the space.

'This, on the other hand…' he said, moving to a small Haustenberg that looked almost cartoonish, '… _is_ the real deal' Neal commented with an eyebrow wag.

'Doesn't look like whatever losses Mr. Perry suffered five years ago has left him permanently wounded' he murmured as he kept examining the art on the walls.

'Could be existing purely on equity…' Peter replied. '… or credit.'

'A helluva lot of credit' Neal observed.

Someone was heard clearing their throat and the two sleuths turned to find the butler, standing there watching them - although it was unclear exactly how long he'd been standing there.

'Mr. Perry will see you in the study' he enunciated, pointing them towards a room off the foyer.

'Mr. Perry will see us in the study' Peter repeated, under his breath.

WCWCWC

Hope finished preparing her classroom as the gallery buzzed with the usual Saturday morning clientele. She'd insisted on coming in to teach her Saturday morning class although, after some coaxing from her husband, she'd reluctantly agreed to cut her day short. Following her dad's visit, she and Cameron had had a long talk about how tired she'd been lately and how she needed to take it easy now that they knew the baby was arriving a little earlier than expected. Hope had finally relented and agreed to shorten her days at the gallery, especially now that her uncle Peter was rejoining the staff.

She'd really enjoyed the little talk she'd had with her dad the night before. While Cameron finished up at the Raphael, she and her dad had settled on the floor in the baby's room and shared spring rolls and mo-shu pork while they discussed her life post-baby and the finite details of the mural he was painting for them.

The soon-to-be parents had settled on a modified Winnie the Pooh theme with a gorgeous forest and the familiar characters tucked away in unlikely hiding places - sort of like a _Where's Waldo_ for Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore and the rest of the gang. Growing up, she'd loved the books and she'd always found the characters amusing and cheerful. Of course, when Neal Caffrey put his own spin on something, it became a very unique work of art; in this case, the mural was dominated by a lush forest with baby animals and bountiful flora in muted shades of blues and pinks and greens with the book's characters blending into the background. Along the top edge of the wall, Neal was poised to paint a phrase from the books that the mom-to-be hoped would inspire her son: _You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think._

Hope always emerged from her little 'tête à têtes' with her dad feeling energized and calmer than when she went in, especially these days when she seemed to be constantly on the edge of tears. His confession had surprised her, considering her mom had never said a word about what had transpired in the first twenty-four hours following her birth and yet, knowing him as she did, she wasn't surprised to learn that he'd been terrified about not rising to the occasion and being a good dad. His irrational fears had helped her put things in perspective; it seemed that everybody struggled somewhat as they prepared to embark on the wonderful roller coaster ride of parenthood - even her cool, calm and collected father.

She was still keeping the news about her new due date from her folks, determined not to have them cancel their plans. Her parents had always put hers and Liam's needs first and she was determined to let them enjoy this rare trip abroad to the city her dad had always raved about and had dreamed of taking her mom. She'd known she was doing the right thing when she'd seen his eyes sparkle as he talked about taking her mom on a stroll through the Musée D'Orsay and a visit of the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral. With any luck, the baby would be right on time or even a little late and they would both be back from Paris before the blessed event.

'Hey, everything all right in here?' Cameron asked as he peeked into the gallery's backroom.

Hope placed the paintbrushes on the large island in preparation for class. 'Yeah, I'm ready.'

He gave her a playful wink and Hope blew him a kiss in return as she braced herself for the onslaught of six to eight year olds who would soon be storming the place.

WCWCWC

Sara sat in front of her laptop at the kitchen table, taking advantage of the relative quiet in the house. With Neal and Peter out following up on their lead, she was left to try to fix the mess generated by the theft of the tiara way across the ocean. Lydia Jordan had agreed to fly to London and work with the police on their investigation; hopefully, the culprit had unwittingly left some breadcrumbs they could follow to finally help reveal his identity.

She heard Raffie grumbling in his sleep from under the table just as Caitlin appeared, dressed to face the day.

'Good morning' Caitlin sang as she opened the refrigerator door and grabbed for a yogurt.

'You look nice. Any plans today?'

'Ben is taking me out for a late brunch' the young woman said with a smile.

Sara closed the laptop and stood, refilling her cup of coffee and taking a seat next to her foster daughter.

'Ben, huh? Again!'

Caitlin looked up, slightly embarrassed, her blue eyes shining brightly. 'Yeah… again.'

Sara was pleased to see the excitement on her face. 'So… you really like this guy, huh?'

'Yeah, he's really sweet and we have a lot in common' Caitlin admitted as Raffie began to pace in front of the patio door, silently asking to be let out.

Sara stood and put him out in the yard, watching as the old dog spotted a squirrel and took off in hot pursuit. 'Does that mean you're not meeting your mom today?' she asked.

Caitlin looked away and sighed; her relationship with her mom was rocky at best and lately, she'd had to use tough love where the woman was concerned. Ever since the incident the week before, she hadn't been in touch with her and she'd heard nothing in return.

'I think I need a break from all that… drama' Caitlin admitted as she searched Sara's eyes. 'Sara, do you think I'm being too harsh with her?'

Sara smiled at the young woman. 'I think you've been very patient with her' she said, reaching for her hand. 'I'm not sure I would have given her all those chances if I'd been in your shoes. The ball is really in her court.'

Caitlin shrugged. 'I guess… but she _is_ my mom and… I feel like I owe her a minimum of respect.'

'Honey, respect is earned and she hasn't shown you that she's willing to make any permanent changes. You can't be expected to put up with that kind of behaviour, you deserve better than that.'

Caitlin nodded, looking sad. 'I'm so thankful I've got you and Mr. C to rely on. I… I appreciate everything you've done for me' Caitlin said, in a rare moment of nostalgia.

'I know you do' Sara replied. 'And so does Neal. We're just really happy that everything is going so well for you, with school and now with Ben. You deserve some happiness, sweetie.'

'You know, I've been thinking…' Caitlin began, her voice quiet. 'Maybe it's time I strike out on my own. I make enough at my job at the day care to rent a small place nearby. I noticed there are some studio apartments in New Rochelle going for about fifteen hundred a month. I'd be close to work and just a train ride to the university.'

Sara listened, surprised. When she and Neal had agreed to have Caitlin join their family six years earlier, it was with a view to get her through high school and on a firm footing but she had to admit that with Hope and Liam both out of the house, she enjoyed having her foster daughter around.

'That's… wow, I didn't know you were thinking about moving out' Sara said wistfully.

'You and Mr. C have already raised your kids. You deserve some time alone' Caitlin commented.

'Yeah but… well, Liam's coming home at the end of the month and he'll be here all summer —'

Raffie barked, interrupting them and Caitlin got to her feet to let him in. He looked up at her and sat, staring at his leash which hung nearby. 'Looks like you need a good run, there buddy' she said, grabbing for his leash.

Sara looked up as the young woman put the leash on the dog, reflecting on how very far she'd come from the tempestuous, impulsive teenager she'd been to the poised, focussed young woman who stood before her.

'We'll be back' Caitlin said with a smile as she headed towards the front door with a happy dog in tow.

Sara watched them leave, realizing Caitlin would soon go off on her own and suddenly, she was overcome with a feeling of sadness she hadn't seen coming.

WCWCWC

'Thank you for seeing us, Mr. Perry' Peter said as the three men took a seat in the study.

The room oozed of testosterone from the dark mahogany wood panelling to the burgundy leather armchairs and the endless rows of leather bound books lining the walls.

'I'm always happy to cooperate with the FBI' he said as Peter glanced nervously at Neal. 'Frankly, I'm surprised this is even on your radar. After all, it's been five years since that…debacle.'

Neal nodded. 'Sir, we understand you were a shareholder when Saunders Corp's stock took a dip?'

'A dip? Is that what you guys are calling it? It was more of a disastrous all and out crash. The stock plummeted from ten dollars a share to less than fifty cents within a few hours.'

'If you don't mind my asking, how did you hear about the availability of stock?' Peter asked, leaning forward.

Walker Perry looked around the room, growing angry, his face reddening and his body tensing. 'A… an old _friend_ told me about it' he began. 'And believe me, I use the term loosely.'

'Would this be Winston Bosch, by any chance?' Neal asked.

'How did you know?' he asked.

Neal recovered quickly; he'd obviously given the line of questioning some forethought. 'It's part of our investigation. Mr. Bosch also invested heavily in the stock, did he not?'

'The son of a bitch pulled out just in the nick of time' the older man said, his voice angry.

'What…what was your relationship with Mr. Bosch?' Peter asked, nowhere near as smoothly as Neal.

'We were best friends going back to our college days. I was best man at his first wedding and he, at mine' Perry explained.

'I imagine it strained your relationship' Neal commented.

'You think?' he responded with more than a hint of sarcasm.

Neal cleared his throat and glanced at Peter. If they lingered too much on the relationship between the two men, their line of questioning might appear suspicious.

Peter looked at the man. 'And your losses were…'

'Massive' Perry responded without hesitation. 'Winston had assured me the company's stock was on the rise and foolishly, I took him at his word.'

'Did you suspect, at the time, that your friend might have been tipped off somehow?'

'Of course I did and I was questioned extensively by the SEC and the FBI but in the end, they concluded they didn't have enough evidence to charge anyone with insider trading.'

'Yes, we're well aware of our own investigation' Neal said, sounding just like a G-man.

Peter glanced over at Neal and glared - a silent warning to play in cool which Neal pointedly chose to ignore.

'Then, why are you here? Have there been any new developments?' the man asked, sounding irritated.

'No, sir' Peter replied. 'We're just…. making certain we have all the facts in the case before… before we close the investigation.'

'Have you been in touch with Mr. Bosch since then?' Neal asked.

'No, after that, we lost track of each other. I… I have no interest in seeing his face or hearing his name, frankly.'

Peter looked around, admiring the luxurious surroundings, the high end furniture, carpets and art work. 'You have a lovely home' he commented.

'Well, I've managed to make up for that… horrible period in my life' Walker Perry admitted. 'I've been blessed with some… good investments.'

Neal stood to leave; if they pushed any harder, Walker Perry would begin to suspect what they were really there to do. As it was, he'd gotten a good read on the man, enough to make up his mind about his possible involvement in the thefts.

'Thank you for seeing us' Peter said, shaking the man's hand.

WCWCWC

'Sara!' Caitlin called out as the front door opened. 'Can you open the patio door?'

Sara stood from her spot at the kitchen table and peeked out towards the front of the house, seeing Caitlin standing at the front of the house, blocking the dog's way.

'What's the matter?' Sara asked as she carried out Caitlin's request.

'Raffie's a mess. We'd better put him in the yard while we figure out what to do with him' she shouted.

Sara watched as the seventy-pound dog came traipsing through the house, leaving a trail of mud in his wake. He made a beeline for the backyard, stopping briefly to give Sara a welcoming bark.

'Yuk! What happened?' Sara groaned.

Caitlin followed, looking unnerved. 'He got away from me at the dog park and he ran through the mud. I'm sorry!'

Sara thought of all the times the large dog had pulled away from her and gotten into mischief; despite his thirteen years, he still had a lot of life left in him. Caitlin had just begun to clean up the mess on the floor when the doorbell rang and she looked over at Sara, unsure about what to do.

'Go' Sara said with a smile. 'I'll take care of Raffie.'

'I'm sorry' Caitlin mumbled.

'Don't worry about it. Why don't you introduce me to your young man?'

WCWCWC

Elizabeth was busy baking cookies when Peter and Neal stepped into the house… and there were freshly baked chocolate chip muffins on the counter. She was either stocking up on baked goods or stress baking - either way, the place smelled amazing.

'Mmmm' Peter hummed as he zeroed in on a muffin, hand outstretched.

Elizabeth was quick to intervene, slapping his hand away. 'Hey! Hands off! Those are for Hope and Cam.'

'Hon…' Peter moaned, salivating.

'Fine' she replied curtly. 'I'll make you boys some coffee and you can have _one_ muffin. Do you hear me? One!'

Peter considered that a victory and he took a seat across from Neal who'd already settled in at the dining room table and taken out his notes.

'So, what's your take on Perry?' Peter asked.

Neal shook his head. 'I really don't think he's our guy. He looked pissed off but I get the sense he's moved on.'

'I agree. I didn't get the _revenge_ vibe off of him either' Peter said as a muffin magically appeared in front of him.

He broke off a piece and placed it his mouth, letting the warm chocolate melt and for a minute there, Neal thought he'd lost him for good. His eyes rolled back in his head and he let out this rather unsettling moan, reminiscent of something Neal would rather not know about.

'Hey!' he said, snapping his fingers in front of Peter's face. 'Stay with me!'

WCWCWC

Sara hated having the dog in the car. Not only did he leave behind a mess of fur that took weeks to get rid of but he had the annoying habit of pacing from one side of the car to the other, sticking his nose against the glass and leaving lovely 'snout marks' smeared all over the back windows.

'Settle down!' she called back sternly as he proceeded to totally ignore her.

She was _so_ over having a dog in the house. When they'd first gotten him, thirteen years earlier, he'd added needed life to their household. She'd just had a miscarriage and Hope had been reeling following Satchmo's passing. Raffie's arrival had helped their daughter focus at a difficult time in her life and for that reason, she and Neal had been more than happy to put up with the inconveniences of having a four-legged friend as a member of their family.

Now that the kids weren't living at home, most of the burden associated with walking Raphael and keeping him fed and happy fell to her and Neal although Caitlin had been very good about taking on some of those responsibilities. When Hope had moved out, she'd been keen to take him to live with her and Cam but the newlyweds had had trouble finding an apartment that would take pets and in the end, she'd reluctantly had to leave him home in White Plains.

Sara navigated the car towards the shopping mall where, thankfully, the local pet store had a couple of stalls at the very back so dog owners could give their pets a bath without the chaos of carrying out such a messy task at home. It was a godsend and although she'd taken the necessary precautions and changed into a t-shirt and a pair of cotton pants, she was convinced she'd be soaked by the time she finally got the job done.

The soft jazz music she'd been enjoying was rudely interrupted, announcing an incoming call.

'Hello' she said as she saw Neal's name appear on the small screen.

'Hey. How's it going?' he asked.

'I'm on my way to do my second least favourite thing' she complained as Raffie let out a bark at the sound of Neal's voice.

'Oh no! Not the dreaded bath' he said in empathy.

'Afraid so… How did you two make out with Mr. Perry?'

'Well, the guy seems to have bounced back from his losses' Neal said. 'Peter and I agree… we don't think this is our guy.'

'Dammit, Neal! We're running out of leads and I've got the boss breathing down my neck' she complained.

'Don't worry, babe. We'll get to the bottom of it. I plan on pushing him when I see him on Monday. I'm still convinced he's hiding something and if he wants our help, he's going to have to come clean.'

Sara sighed loudly. 'Honey, I'm going to have to hang up. I'm here and he's driving me crazy with all his pacing.'

'All right. Oh, El wants to know if we want to come over for dinner tonight. She's making lobster bisque and a Caesar salad' he called out.

Sara could hear Elizabeth's voice in the background. 'And creme caramel for dessert' she shouted.

'Did you hear that?' Neal asked.

'Got it' she said, parking the car in her usual haphazard fashion, unintentionally taking up two parking spaces. 'I'm in.'

'Okay. I'll be home in about an hour' Neal said before hanging up.

Sara glanced in the rear view mirror, noticing Raffie drooling on the seat and she rolled her eyes. The faster she got this done, the better. She hoped Will Allenby was working at the store today; she hadn't seen Liam's best friend in months - ever since Liam had last been home at Christmastime.

Liam and Will had been best friends since grade school, sharing a love of basketball and an unequivocal disdain for algebra. Will's parents had pushed him into studying at NYU School of Law, following in his father's illustrious footsteps. The young man had confided to Neal and Sara that he had absolutely no interest in becoming a lawyer and yet, in the absence of any other clear career path, he'd grudgingly given in to his father's wishes. Sara had always felt bad for the young man; he was sweet and kind, a wonderful friend to Liam and yet, very much under his father's thumb.

She stepped out of the car, grabbing for Raffie's leash as he began to tug insistently. He knew this place; this is where they got his food and where he often saw that nice young man who was a regular visitor to their home. Sara entered the store and spotted Will immediately, sitting on the floor stocking shelves.

'Mrs. Caffrey! Hi!' he called out as she came into his field of vision.

'Hey Will. I was hoping I'd bump into you today' she said with a smile. 'Haven't seen you since Christmas. How's your semester going?'

She could see his face darken at the question and he shrugged immediately changing the subject.

'You here to pick up some dog food?' he asked as he got to his feet.

'I'll get some on my way out but first, I need to give this guy a bath' she explained with a frown. 'He got into a bit of a mess at the dog park.'

Will crouched down in order to greet the dog and Raffie immediately took a few steps forward, invading Will's space, panting and licking his face madly while he wagged his tail; he obviously hadn't yet figured out what they were _really_ doing there.

Will rubbed his fur, to the dog's delight. 'Hey Raffie!' he said. 'Need me to help you set up, Mrs. Caffrey?'

'No, I'm good - unfortunately, this is not my first rodeo' she lamented. 'Come on Raffie, let's get this over with.'

Raffie stopped wagging his tail and put his head down as he spotted the enclosed area at the back of the store, memories flooding back as to what took place there. Sara dragged him over, against his will, and entered the enclave as Raffie began to moan. She placed the shampoo bottle within reach and slipped on one of the aprons provided by the store - not that it would do much to protect her from getting soaked. She coaxed the dog up the few short steps and into the bath as he resisted, reluctant to get wet.

'Come on, buddy. Believe me, I hate this as much as you do' Sara muttered.

The bottle of shampoo slipped from her hands and she bent down to pick it up. Raffie took advantage of the situation to try to get away but she grabbed for his leash and held on firmly.

'Oh, no you don't' she grumbled as she held him back.

He shook his head furiously, sending droplets of water all over the place and Sara swore under her breath as she rubbed some soap alongside the bottom of his belly and his paws. His beautiful golden coat had turned an ugly shade of grey and Sara scrubbed, watching as his fur slowly returned to his natural blonde colour.

As she worked, she could feel her chest heaving, her heart pounding and her breathing growing unsteady. She held on to the edge of the tub to steady herself but her legs had suddenly turned to jelly and just before everything went black, she felt the dog slip out of her grasp.

WCWCWC

'Do you need help getting that to the car?' Will asked the older gentleman who stood before him with the oversized bag of cat litter.

'I'm good, thanks' the man said as Raffie came charging down the store aisle, dripping wet.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa there, buddy' Will shouted as he stepped out from behind the cash and grabbed for the dog.

His tail was wagging happily at the attention he was getting and he looked at the young man, shaking his whole body violently and sending water splashing all over the place as Will laughed.

'Did you get away from your mommy?' Will asked playfully as he held the leash firmly. He glanced down the aisle but Sara was nowhere in sight.

'Come on buddy, let's take you back there' he said, pulling the dog along, fighting him all the way. He was no match for a strapping young man and Will successfully dragged him towards the back of the store in search of his owner.

'Mrs. Caffrey?' he called out as he got nearer.

He could see that the gate separating the restrained area from the rest of the store was wide open; somehow the dog had managed to nudge it open and slip out.

'Mrs. Caffrey?' he repeated to deafening silence as he drew near.

He took one more step and stopped dead in his tracks, Raffie's leash slipping from his hand and he watched in horror as the dog ran to Sara's side, her body laying inert on the ground.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Neal could hear the phone ringing in the distance as he slipped his key in the front door. He stepped in, noticing the message light flashing and he rushed to get to the phone before the answering machine kicked in. The outgoing message came on just as he was picking up and he listened to his own voice inviting the caller to kindly leave a message, followed by a strained voice he thought he recognized.

'Mr. Caffrey, it's —'

'I'm here, I'm here' Neal interrupted. 'Is that you, Will?'

'Oh, thank God, you're there' the young man said. 'I already left you a message… but I didn't have your cell phone number.'

'What's up? Are you looking for Liam?' Neal asked, curious as to the nature of Will Allenby's call.

'No… I… Mrs. Caffrey was just in here… at the pet store…'

Surely the young man hadn't called to inform him that Sara had stopped by the store to give the dog a bath - maybe he was calling to let him know she'd forgotten her wallet or left her bank card behind.

'She mentioned she was going to drop by. Is there a problem?' Neal asked.

'Hum…' Will hesitated, unsure how to go about breaking the news of Sara's misfortune. 'Mrs. Caffrey… well, while she was here… she sort of passed out and we had to call for an ambulance.'

'An ambulance?' Neal repeated; surely he must have heard wrong.

'She fell at the back of the store and she hit her head' Will explained, his voice shaking.

'Oh my God! Is she all right?' Neal asked as he began to compute what he was hearing.

'I… I don't know. They took her over to White Plains General. She was unconscious when they left here.'

'When did this happen?' Neal asked as he started to get his bearings.

'About… fifteen, twenty minutes ago' he said. 'I've got Raffie here with me.'

'Look… I need to get to the hospital…' Neal muttered; frankly, at the moment, the dog was the least of his worries.

'Yeah, well, don't worry about the dog. I'll keep him here with me and I'll get him back to you whenever…' Will said.

'Thanks… thanks Will' Neal said, his mind racing. 'I'll get back to you as soon as I know what's going on.'

Neal grabbed for a nearby pen, scribbling a note for Caitlin and he rushed back out, waving absent-mindedly to Myrtle Stevens who was out in her front yard, tending to her beloved rose bushes.

'Hi Neal! Beautiful day, isn't it?' she called out as he ran to the car, all but ignoring her.

He put the car in gear and headed down the street, oblivious to everything around him. Whatever mystery ailment was plaguing Sara seemed to be back with a vengeance and it was high time they figured out what was ailing her, once and for all. The doctor's appointment he'd made for her for Monday afternoon - unbeknownst to her - suddenly seemed redundant and he resolved that he wouldn't let the hospital discharge her until they finally got some clear answers.

He arrived at White Plains General in short order, parking near the emergency department and he ran in, heading directly for the triage desk.

'My wife was just brought in by ambulance' he said breathlessly as he looked down at the young lady seated there. 'Sara Ellis…. or maybe Caffrey.'

He watched as the clerk checked a long list, looking up when she finally found what she was looking for. 'Caffrey… yes, she's in with the doctor right now. You can take a seat right over there and I'll let you know when you can go back there.'

'Can't you tell me _anything_?' he asked, desperate for details.

'I'm sorry, sir. It shouldn't be too long.'

Neal grudgingly took a seat nearby, joining a dozen or so would-be patients and family members. He glanced down the short hallway leading to the emergency room and willed himself to stay put, forcing his mind to focus. How could this have happened again and why did Sara's blood pressure keep dipping like that, without warning? He thought ahead to the busy coming weeks. Their renewal ceremony was a little more than four weeks away, followed by their long awaited trip abroad, to say nothing of their first grandchild who would be arriving right on the heels of their return. He felt his heart skip a beat, a reminder that he, himself, wasn't twenty years old anymore.

Whatever _this_ was, they would find a way to face it.

Together.

WCWCWC

'Which ones do _you_ like?' Olivia Mason asked as she pointed to the catalogue.

Hope glanced down at the wedding bouquets, dozens and dozens to choose from. She thought back to her own wedding the previous summer. She and Cam had chosen to keep things low key - her dress, a simple vintage gown and the group of guests, relatively small. Despite her aunt Elizabeth's grandiose ideas, she'd held her own and she and Cameron had had the perfect wedding - exactly what they'd both wanted. On the other end of the spectrum was Olivia and Brett's wedding, an elaborate church affair complete with over two hundred guests, a froufrou wedding gown - as Hope called it - six bridesmaids and groomsmen and a parade of limousines.

'I like simple flowers, you know that' Hope opined. 'But I _do_ like those orchids. That's what my mom is having for their ceremony.'

Olivia glanced down at the photograph Hope had pointed to, nodding. 'They're nice but… I think I want to stick with roses.'

'And I was thinking of pale pink or maybe peach…' she continued, realizing she'd somehow lost Hope's attention.

'Hope? Ho-o-pe. Yoohoo!'

'What?' Hope asked as her mind refocussed on the task at hand.

'Do you want to tell me what's on your mind? What could be more important than the colour of the roses for my bouquet?' the young blonde woman said, tongue in cheek.

'Really, Olivia?' Hope asked as she gave her a playful shove. 'Because the world revolves around the colour of your roses.'

'All right, point taken. What's up with you, anyway?'

Hope looked nervously around the small café where they'd set up, as if someone might be listening to their conversation.

'Can you keep a secret?' she asked her best friend.

Her question was answered by an exaggerated eye roll; after all, they'd been keeping each other's deepest, darkest secrets for over twenty years.

'I saw the doctor the other day and apparently…' Hope said, her voice growing quiet. '… the b-b-baby is coming two weeks earlier than we thought.'

Olivia let out a squeal. 'Oh, that's great! I can't wait! Little booties… and the cute little sleepers…'

She studied Hope's face; obviously she was missing something.

'It's not!' Hope said decisively. 'My parent's vow renewal ceremony is on June 15th and they leave for Paris three days later. They're not even due back until July 3rd.'

Olivia frowned as she tried to compute all the dates Hope had just thrown at her. 'What? So you're worried they won't be back in time?'

Hope shrugged and raised an eyebrow. 'What if I'm early? I'll have the baby while they're away and you know how excited my dad is about this. He's got it all planned out, he's ordered these disgusting cigars online and he's planning this big party for when the baby gets here…'

'And?' Olivia frowned as she listened; there was something else Hope wasn't telling her.

Hope's eyes filled with tears and Olivia cringed as she braced for another meltdown; lately her best friend cried at the drop of a hat and she was ill-equipped to deal with the unexpected waterworks.

Hope's moaning and sniffling seemed to draw the attention of the young couple sitting next to them and Olivia smiled at them apologetically in an effort to reassure them that everything was all right.

'C-C-Cam is amazing and… I know he'll be there for me' Hope began, her voice trembling. 'But I was… I was counting on my mom being there when I go into labour.'

Olivia grabbed a tissue from her purse and handed it to her best friend. 'So, what's the problem? Just tell them the truth.'

'No!' Hope blubbered. 'N-n-no. My d-d-dad has been planning to take my mom to Paris for years now and they've got their plane tickets and their hotel reservations. I don't want them to miss out.'

'Hope, they're grownups, they can make their own decision but if you keep this from them, your dad's going to be really pissed off.'

'I know…' Hope snivelled. '… and he got those cigars…'

Now she was talking gibberish and Olivia giggled, triggering a new onslaught of sobs from her best friend.

'I'm sorry' she said. 'I'm not laughing at _you_. It's just that… cigars? That's what you're worried about? Really, Hope?'

Hope laughed through her tears. She was a strong, resilient young woman who'd faced more than her share of pain and suffering and she'd given adversity the middle finger, unwilling to surrender to the hardships she'd endured since her tragic accident. Surely, she could face something as inane as having her baby two weeks early.

Hormones, however, seemed to be getting the better of her.

'When do you see your specialist?' Olivia asked in an attempt to bring Hope back from the brink.

'Wednesday. My mom's coming with me' Hope replied.

'And you still haven't told Cam?'

Hope's eyes widened. 'You p-promised!' she said accusingly.

'And I would never _break_ that promise but I told you, Hope. I think it's a big mistake to keep him in the dark about this.'

Hope stared at her friend, fighting a new onslaught of tears. 'I will… I'll tell him when I know if s-s-something's wrong.'

Olivia sat, holding her best friend's hand. She'd seen her come back from the brink of death and she'd learned that nothing could keep her down. But sometimes, even someone as strong as Hope Ellis-Caffrey needed a helping hand.

WCWCWC

'Caffrey!' the receptionist called out.

Neal was instantly on his feet. 'You can see your wife now. She's in examination room 3E, right down this hallway' she informed him, pointing.

To say that Neal sprinted down the hall wasn't much of an exaggeration; he practically ran over a woman who was coming towards him with a walker, mumbling an apology as he kept moving. He didn't bother knocking and stepped into the small treatment room to find Sara sitting up on an examination table, looking like her old self - except for a nasty bump on her forehead where she'd obviously done a face plant directly onto the ceramic floor at the pet store.

'Neal…' she said with a forced smile when he came barging in.

He was instantly by her side. 'Oh, baby, what did you do to yourself?' he said as he gently ran his fingers over the bright red bump.

'The floor was hard' she said, straight faced as he chuckled in relief. At least, she hadn't lost her sense of humour.

'Have you seen the doctor yet?' he asked.

She nodded. 'She wants to run some tests.'

'Good' Neal said with a reassuring smile. 'Maybe they can finally figure out what's going on.'

'She _did_ say I have a concussion' Sara admitted with a pout.

'Awwww' Neal moaned in empathy. 'Your head hurt?'

She nodded sadly and he moved in closer, putting his arm around her and letting her rest her head on his shoulder. 'It's okay, it'll feel better in a day or so.'

'You always said I was hard-headed' she joked as he hugged her and closed his eyes in relief.

'Yeah, well you don't have to go around proving in' he murmured, bringing his lips to brush her forehead.

The door to the examination room opened and a young woman stood in the doorway. Neal did a double take; the woman looked to be not much older than Hope - how come, lately, everyone seemed so much younger than _they_ were?

'Mrs. Caffrey, I've arranged for those tests we talked about' she said, acknowledging Neal with a smile.

He pulled away from Sara and stood, facing the newcomer as he spoke, intent on making sure she had all the facts.

'Doctor, she's been feeling lightheaded a lot lately and she actually fainted once before' he volunteered just in case Sara had downplayed the situation - a very likely possibility.

'Once?' the doctor asked as she looked at Sara for clarification. 'I thought you said you'd fainted _twice._ '

Sara nodded. 'I did' she mumbled, feeling Neal glaring at her - something she chose to ignore for the moment.

The young woman looked from Neal to Sara sensing tension between the two of them; she was staying well clear of this one.

'As I mentioned, we're going to run an EKG and an echocardiogram' she explained in response to the worried look in Sara's eyes. 'Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of it' she said reassuringly as she turned to leave.

Neal was still staring unblinkingly at his wife when the door closed behind her. He stood to face her, a look of shock on his face.

'This happened _before_ and you didn't tell me' he stated accusingly.

'I… I didn't want you to worry' Sara said, avoiding his gaze.

Neal took a deep breath; the last thing he wanted to do was further upset his wife when she was in such a vulnerable state. He let out the long slow breath and blinked a few times while he waited for the knot in his stomach to recede and the exasperation to fade.

'Sara, _when_ did this happen?' he asked patiently.

'At work… a few weeks ago' she began as he flared up, once again.

'At work!' he exclaimed.

'I got light-headed in the middle of a meeting and… I fainted' she admitted.

'And they didn't call me?'

'I told them not to. Neal, I was fine —'

Neal began to pace back and forth in the small room, shaking his head in disbelief. He could see Sara was growing upset and he made his way back to her side, perching himself next to her on the edge of the examination table.

'Honey, I'm only upset because I love you' he said, taking her hand.

'I know… and I only kept it from you because I love _you_ ' she argued in response.

Neal laughed at her absurd argument. 'No secrets, okay? As much as I hate to admit it, we're not twenty anymore and we have to look out for each other but to do that… well, we need to be honest with one another.'

'You're right' Sara admitted. 'I'm sorry. I should have told you.'

There was silence for a moment as they stared into each other's eyes.

'Neal, I'm scared' Sara finally said, squeezing his hand. 'What if there's something seriously wrong with me?'

He nodded. 'I know, I'm scared too but this is definitely one of those situations where knowing is better than not knowing' he said, running his hand through her hair. 'Once we know exactly what it is we're up against… we'll face it together.'

'What if it's my heart' she said, something she'd suspected from the start. 'You're not going to want to marry someone with a faulty ticker.'

Neal smiled at her attempt at humour. 'Oh yeah? Just try keeping me away' he said, just as a soft knock was heard.

The door opened to reveal a young man in a white uniform, pushing a wheelchair and holding a form in his hands.

'Mrs… Caffrey?' he said as Sara nodded. 'I'm here to take you up for your test.'

Neal got to his feet, unsure if he was allowed to come along.

'You can wait here, sir' the young man said. 'I'll bring her back as soon as she's done.'

Neal helped Sara to her feet and guided her over, settling her in the wheelchair. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, careful to avoid the painful looking welt.

'It's going to be all right, Repo' he whispered with a wink. 'I'll be here when you get back.'

He watched as the young man rolled her out and he let himself drop on the lone chair that sat in the corner, reaching for his phone.

WCWCWC

'How's Mrs. Caffrey?' Will asked as he stepped into the house with Raffie by his side.

'Mr. C called about half an hour ago. They're running some tests on Sara' Caitlin responded as she took Raffie's leash from the young man's hand. 'Do you want to come in?'

'Sure' Will said hesitantly. 'I'll come in for a minute.'

He'd been in the Caffrey home hundreds of times over the years - but always to visit with Liam. It felt strange to be there while his best friend was away at school.

He watched as Caitlin filled the dog's water bowl and put out some food for him.

'Thanks for taking care of Raffie' she said as he took a seat at the kitchen table. 'So, what happened exactly?'

'Mrs. Caffrey was at the back of the store giving him a bath and then all of a sudden, he came running down the aisle, soaked. I thought he'd just gotten away from her but when I went back with him to check things out, I found her lying on the ground.'

Caitlin looked horrified at the tale and reached into the fridge, grabbing a couple of cans of pop and placing one in front of him. He smiled at her, noticing not for the first time, how pretty she was. He'd always had a soft spot for Caitlin but Liam had warned him repeatedly that she was hell on wheels and that he should look elsewhere for companionship following his painful breakup with his long-time girlfriend. Now, looking at her bright blue eyes and warm smile, he couldn't quite remember all the reasons Liam had given him for staying away.

'How are _you_?' he asked hesitantly. 'How's school going?'

'Good. Good. I'm really enjoying it' she said, smiling at him. 'You?'

He shrugged, uncomfortable with the question.

'It's pre-law, right?' she asked in response to his silence.

'Yeah… not my choice' he muttered. 'To be honest, I'm not sure what I want to do. I'm kind of biding my time until I figure things out.'

Caitlin smiled at the young man; she'd always found him to be gentle and kind and now, he looked so forlorn as he shared how he was feeling.

'It's not always easy to figure things out' she admitted. 'If it hadn't been for Sara and Mr. C, I have no idea what I'd be doing. I might be in jail if they hadn't taken me in.'

Will scoffed. 'I'm sure that's not true' he said with a shy smile. 'You're smart and you would have figured things out.'

There was an awkward silence and Will moved back, his chair scraping against the floor and Raffie waddled over for a cuddle. He obliged and got to his feet.

'Well, thanks for the drink. I should be getting back' he mumbled, somewhat uncomfortable.

Caitlin gave him a brilliant smile and stood to follow him to the door. 'I can call you later… you know, to let you know how Sara's doing.'

'That'd be great' he replied, stepping out and giving her a small wave.

Caitlin stood at the front door, holding Raffie's collar, watching as he drove away.

WCWCWC

It had been more than an hour since Sara had been wheeled out and Neal was feeling like a caged animal, pacing back in forth in the confined space. He hadn't dared leave the room for fear she might return at any time and find him gone. Truth was, he was dying for a cup of coffee - or a good stiff drink. He didn't think much about booze these days but the past couple of weeks had been enough to drive him to drink. Watching Liam suffering as he had and seeing Sara worried about her health had been destabilizing events and he looked forward to better times ahead. He and Sara had been looking forward to taking this holiday for so long - now, depending on her prognosis, he feared it might never happen.

Sara Ellis was a strong, healthy woman and he counted on her just as much as she counted on him. It was hard to imagine her having to slow down for any reason. At work, she'd always been driven and she'd been involved in all three of the kids' lives, supporting them in any way she could. Now she was preparing to add 'grandma' to her pedigree and he hoped that she'd be healthy enough to rise to that new challenge.

He thought of the kids; he'd have to tell them what was going on sooner or later - later, he decided, once they knew exactly what they were up against. Hope was fragile at the moment and the last thing she needed was to be worrying about her mom when she was about to give birth. He was busy devising the best strategy when he heard Sara's voice out in the hallway and he stepped out to meet her. She was smiling, thanking the porter for wheeling her back and Neal helped her stand and return to the small room.

'So?' he asked.

'They said I could get dressed and the doctor will be in with the results' she said, reaching for her clothes.

Neal gave her a hand getting dressed, fussing over her as she complained about him being over-solicitous - the usual exchange without much humour, this time. Neal scrounged around a nearby room for a second chair and the couple settled down, hand in hand, waiting for the doctor to return.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The phone rang in the Caffrey house and Caitlin was immediately on her feet. She'd been on pins and needles all afternoon, waiting for Neal to call with news from the hospital. Regrettably, the voice on the other end of the line was not her foster dad's but rather Liam's.

'Hey!' she said, upon recognizing his voice.

'Hi!' he chirped back, sounding rather cheery.

To say that Liam was laid-back was somewhat of an understatement; he and Caitlin had struggled with the contrast in their personalities ever since the day she'd first set foot in the Caffrey home. She'd been annoyingly loud and impetuous and for the first couple of years, Liam had merely tolerated her presence - mostly for his parents' sake. He hated the fact that she kept getting into trouble, upsetting their quiet family life while she, on the other hand, had wanted nothing more than to fit in with his friends and belong - at all costs. But, as time passed, he'd learned to appreciate some of Caitlin's qualities, not the least of which was her sincere devotion to his parents and she had learned to respect him for his quiet, introspective ways. Over time, they had both found a way to co-exist under the same roof without much fuss.

'You sound cheerful' she commented. 'I guess Cody must be visiting, huh?'

'No, not this weekend, unfortunately' he replied. 'So what's happening over there? Mom and Dad getting excited about their anniversary party?'

Caitlin considered his question. A few years ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to blurt out the fact that Sara was at the hospital undergoing tests but now she realized it wasn't her place to share that little piece of news. Neal and Sara would tell their kids what was happening when the time was right and it wasn't her job to decide when that would be.

'It's going to be great' she exclaimed. 'Your aunt Emily is coming next week and we're all going shopping for dresses.'

'Cool' Liam said, despite his total lack of interest in dress shopping. 'So are they around?'

Caitlin hesitated for a brief moment. 'No, they're out. Did you try their cell phones?'

'Yeah, I did. They both went straight to voicemail' he explained. 'I wanted to give them some good news.'

'Oh, yeah? Do you want to share with me?' she asked, hopeful.

It was his turn to hesitate but the truth was he was pretty excited and eager to share - even if it _was_ with Caitlin Somersby.

'I just found out I'm in the running for league MVP' he blurted out.

'Liam, that's amazing! Wait until your mom and dad find out, they'll be so excited' she squealed.

'Well, I'd like to be the one to tell them, if that's okay' he responded, code for _can you please keep your big mouth shut_.

'Sure, I won't say a word' she promised. 'So how are you guys doing in the playoffs, anyway?'

Liam grunted; he was used to being on the winning side of things but the Orange was struggling in the first round of play. 'We're not doing very well. We lost another game last night.'

'Sorry to hear that' Caitlin said with sincerity. 'And I'm sorry about everything that happened to you; your mom and dad filled me in.'

Liam remained silent, unwilling to rehash the events of the last few weeks. 'Well, at this rate, I may be home before the end of the month.'

'Would that be so terrible?' she asked. 'I know your folks would love to have you home for your birthday. Oh, and I saw Will today' she added. 'He can't wait for you to come home for the summer.'

'Oh yeah? Where did you see him?'

'At the store…' she lied expertly. 'By the way… is he dating anyone?'

Liam let out a long, slow breath. Surely, she wasn't asking for herself - or at least he hoped not. 'Not since he broke up with Josie. Why?'

'Just curious. He's such a sweet guy, I hope he finds a nice girl.'

Liam hummed in agreement. 'Anyway, I gotta go. Practice in twenty minutes. Don't say anything to Mom and Dad… I'll try to call back later.'

'Okay' Caitlin replied before hanging up.

She returned to her vigil - waiting for Neal to call with news; she was surprised to find that instead of her new beau, her thoughts were of Will Allenby.

WCWCWC

Neal removed his hand from Sara's grasp and wiped his sweaty palm on his pants. It took a minute for him to realize it wasn't _his_ palm that was clammy but rather hers and he turned towards her, scrutinizing her face.

'You okay?' he asked, noticing she had turned a milky shade of grey.

Her eyes came up to look at him and he saw panic that hadn't been there a moment ago.

'What's wrong?' he asked, bringing his arm up behind to touch her back.

Her t-shirt was soaked through and he could feel her shaking underneath his hand.

'I… I… I can't… can't breathe' Sara said, her breathing laboured, as she brought her hand to rest on her chest.

'Hey, hey, take it easy' Neal murmured, in an attempt to calm his distraught wife. 'Breathe, honey, breathe.'

Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and he could see her chest heaving as she tried to speak. 'I… can't' she managed to say with a great deal of effort.

The sight of Sara falling apart was unsettling to say the least and he felt his own heartbeat speed up as he tried to figure out what to do before she passed out once more - or had an aneurysm, whichever came first.

'Here, put your head down between your legs' he pleaded, holding her steady in case she faltered.

'No… no' she moaned, totally panicking as she clutched fiercely at her chest.

Neal could see he wasn't getting anywhere and he called out through the open door as a nurse wandered by. 'Could I get some help here!'

Sara's breathing had turned into quivering gasps as she fought for each breath, unable to regain control of herself.

'Here, let's get you back on the examination table' the nurse suggested as she and Neal helped a trembling Sara to her feet.

She teetered and Neal caught her, lifting her, bridal style, and placing her on the table as the nurse prepared to listen to her heart and check her blood pressure. Neal could see Sara's eyes rolling back in her head and for a moment, it seemed like she was slipping away when suddenly, her eyes shot open as she fought unconsciousness.

'It's all right, sweetheart' Neal attempted, surprised at the soothing sound of his voice, considering the fact his own body was shaking uncontrollably.

'She's having a panic attack' the nurse announced as she listened to Sara's heaving chest.

'Sara… Sara… Look at me' Neal tried, once more. 'You're all right, you need to breathe. Come on baby, breathe for me, breathe.'

Sara focussed on his face and she took a long, quivering breath before reverting to short pants, accompanied by loud moans.

'Like me, honey… like me' Neal continued as the nurse proceeded to take her blood pressure. 'In… and out. In… and out. That's it.'

The moans began to fade slowly as Neal continued with the hypnotic chant and slowly but surely, Sara's breathing began to even out and the colour returned to her pale cheeks.

'You just rest here for a few minutes' the nurse instructed. 'I'll see if the doctor is available.'

Neal could tell Sara was embarrassed about losing control by the way her eyes wandered around the room and she pushed his hand away in an attempt to sit up.

'Sara, take it easy. You heard what the nurse said, just… lie still for a minute.'

She seemed annoyed at him - or perhaps she was just angry at herself - and she let out a grunt as she pushed Neal away and struggled to sit up.

'This is ridiculous' she managed to say breathlessly. 'A panic attack…'

Neal gave her a look of exasperation; she'd always been her own worst enemy.

'Sara, there's a lot happening. Would you please just relax, cut yourself some slack' he pleaded.

'I don't… don't have time for a _stupid_ panic attack. I've got stuff to do' she exclaimed and for a minute, he thought she might jump off the table and run out of the room.

'Sara, stop it!' he said in a commanding tone that seemed to capture her attention. 'Stop being so silly. There's _nothing_ to be ashamed of, you're waiting for test results and you're uptight… so am I.'

She scowled at him, her glare eventually softening as he stared back, unflinching.

'Fine' she said grudgingly as she lay back on the table and crossed her arms across her chest like a petulant child.

She lay there pouting and Neal let out a sigh of relief; he'd won this round but he knew it was only the beginning. Sara was more stubborn than a mule and quick to anger; her mood could change at any minute.

The arrival of the doctor interrupted their bickering and Sara sat up on the edge of the table as Neal stood at attention.

'Well, we have your test results' the doctor said as she glanced down at her clipboard. 'You're suffering from both bradycardia and tachycardia.'

The colour drained from Sara's cheeks once more and Neal moved in to place an arm around her shoulder.

'What the hell does that mean?' she asked, her jaw dropping.

'It means that sometimes, your heart beats too fast and other times, too slow. When your heart rate slows, it cuts the blood flow to your brain and your blood pressure plummets. That's why you've been passing out. You were lucky you weren't behind the wheel when it happened.'

Sara stared straight ahead, horrified; it seemed unfathomable to be talking about heart problems at her age.

'But… I'm only fifty-six' she moaned.

'It has nothing to do with age, Mrs. Caffrey. It's an electrical problem with the connections to your heart. But it can be easily fixed' the doctor explained.

'Does she need a pacemaker?' Neal asked as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

'Yes, a pacemaker is likely what will be recommended. But I need you to see a cardiologist to discuss your specific situation.'

'A pacemaker!' Sara all but shouted. 'Are you kidding me? Isn't that for people in their eighties?'

The doctor smiled in response to Sara's comment. 'It has nothing to do with age. As I said, it's just a glitch with the connections to your heart. A pacemaker ensures that your heart rate stays steady and that way, you don't have all those nasty symptoms you've been having. Have you been more tired lately?'

'No…' Sara ventured as she looked sideways at Neal.

'Yes, you have, honey' he contradicted as she glared at him.

'And you've fainted three times… that we know of' he added, immediately regretting what he'd just said.

'Fatigue is a classic symptom as is shortness of breath and dizzy spells' the doctor continued.

Neal could feel another meltdown coming on and in order to avoid any further drama, he turned to the young doctor as a means of distraction.

'What do we do now? Can she… is it safe for Sara to be… walking around? Does she have to be hospitalized?' he asked.

'No, that's not necessary. She might continue to have some of the symptoms she's been having and she could pass out if her heart rate slows too much. So, in the meantime, no driving and try to keep the stress to a minimum. We'll get you in to see a cardiologist in the next few days.'

'Can I… can I keep working?' Sara asked, shell shocked.

'Do you do office work?' the doctor asked.

'Mostly…' Sara replied as Neal rolled his eyes.

'When you're not digging through people's trash' he couldn't help but comment as Sara ignored him.

'Just take it easy and we'll have it all taken care of as soon as possible' the young woman said.

'Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment with the specialist' she added, handing Neal some pamphlets. 'I'm sending a report to your doctor's office and they'll be in touch with you with a date and time to see the cardiologist.'

And with that distressing news, the young woman disappeared into the bowels of the hospital leaving a stunned Sara and Neal behind.

WCWCWC

Dinner was eaten in virtual silence as both Neal and Sara processed what they'd heard that afternoon. Sara was in total denial while Neal was already in solution mode, having already read all the information the doctor had given them - twice.

Sara stood and, without a word, she moved to the sink to rinse her plate. Neal was up in a flash and moved in behind her, forcibly taking the plate from her hand.

'Honey, sit down. Let me do that' he offered.

She turned to face him, daggers in her eyes. 'Neal, DON'T' she shouted.

'Don't what?' he replied, taken aback by the intensity in her voice.

'Don't… treat me like I'm some sort of invalid. Please. I'm perfectly capable of putting my own plate in the goddamn dishwasher.'

Neal backed off; he knew better than to argue when she got that look in her eyes. He swallowed down the anger that was bubbling to the surface, anger not at her but at her predicament and he resisted the urge to respond, electing instead to give her a little bit of space.

'I'm going down to the studio for a while' he grumbled, grabbing the laptop from the kitchen counter and heading down to the basement.

Sara snarled at him behind his back and returned to the task at hand although her anger and resentment wasn't really directed at him. She had a pretty good idea what he'd be doing down there and it didn't involve a paint brush. He'd be on that damn computer trying to read up on everything he could find about pacemakers so he could cheer her on as if she was preparing to run a marathon. She cringed at the thought.

How could this be happening now when they had so much to look forward to? She'd been so stunned by the news that she hadn't even thought to ask about their upcoming trip - and what about the baby… she'd had visions of running around their backyard playing hide, go seek with the little guy and throwing him up in the air as he giggled loudly. What would become of all those dreams?

She felt a lump in her throat, immediately followed by tears and she started to sob as she finished cleaning up - sad, angry tears, tears of resentment and bitterness. She had everything to live for and now, her life was about to change because her stupid heart wasn't heeding the message to keep beating regularly.

Truth be told, she'd been ignoring the signs for months and as the doctor had outlined the symptoms one by one, she'd recognized them all: the fatigue, the weariness, the lightheadedness. She'd been in denial, muddling through as she'd felt her resources dwindling and now she had no choice but to face her day of reckoning.

WCWCWC

Sara felt the bed dip as Neal slipped in beside her, his body instantly pressed up against her back as he brought his arms around her waist, spooning her.

'You still mad?' he whispered in her ear.

She responded with icy silence and he pressed his lips to her shoulder in a gesture of conciliation.

'Stop!' she grumbled as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

Neal held on, confident he could bring her around.

'Stop it! Stop… coddling me!'

'I am _not_ coddling you' he murmured. 'I'm _spooning_ you… and trying to make you feel better.'

'Don't be so goddamn condescending, Caffrey' she muttered angrily.

He smiled softly; if she was calling him 'Caffrey', she couldn't be that far gone. She usually saved that moniker for when she was annoyed but not really furious.

'Come on, honey. Be reasonable' he whispered lovingly.

'Reasonable?' she replied, her voice tight. 'Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's going to be cut open and have a… transistor radio implanted in your chest.'

He refrained from chuckling, unwilling to get her even more riled up than she already was. 'Honey, think of it as giving your body the little bit of help it needs… it's like having to wear glasses to read…' he attempted.

'Shut up' she shot back with just a hint of humour.

'What do you want from me, babe?' he asked sweetly.

'I… want you to leave me alone so I can be miserable in peace' she said, not meaning a word of it.

'What if I don't want you to be miserable?' Neal replied.

'Tough! I don't _care_ what you want. I want to _enjoy_ being miserable' she pouted, realizing how infantile she sounded.

She continued, undaunted. 'I don't even want to have our stupid wedding anymore.'

'Sara… come on, you don't mean that' he whispered, running his hand lovingly up and down her arm.

'Yes I do. It's stupid and I don't want to do it anymore.'

Neal knew better than to engage her when she was saying things that made absolutely no sense. She was obviously speaking from a place of frustration and anger and he couldn't really fault her for that.

'Why don't you just take a day or two to think about it? If you decide you don't want to do it, we'll call it off' he readily agreed - more to shock her into realizing how silly she was being than anything else.

'Fine' she snapped back.

Neal pulled away from her, creating space between their bodies. 'What do you want from me, Sara? You want me to go sleep on the couch?' he asked, resigned to the fact she wasn't thawing anytime soon.

The phone rang before she could answer and the two of them sat bolt upright in bed. It was almost eleven and the shrill sound of the phone was always jarring late at night. Neal reached over to pick up as Sara studied his face.

'Hello' she heard him say.

'Hi Dad' came Liam's voice. 'I'm sorry to call so late. Did I wake you?'

'No, no. Mom and I were just… talking' he said as Sara gave him a dirty look. 'Is anything wrong?'

'No, not at all. I tried calling this afternoon but you guys were out and I just got out of a late practice' he explained.

'Too bad about last night' Neal said as he reflected on the team's loss. 'I did catch part of the game online though. You looked good, looks like you're back on track.'

'Well, Colgate was stronger. They deserved to win. But I did get some good news today' Liam said, his voice light. 'Is Mom with you?'

'Yeah, she's right here, hold on' Neal said as he pulled the phone away from his ear so they could both hear him.

Sara pulled in nice and close to her husband, their little spat momentarily forgotten. 'Hi honey!' she called out.

'Hey Mom! You'll never believe this. The coach told me I made the short list for league MVP, they're announcing the nominees tomorrow.'

'Wow!' Neal exclaimed as Sara's face lit up. 'That's fantastic. I don't remember too many sophomores nominated for MVP.'

'The coach says a sophomore has only won twice… anyway, regardless, it's a real honour and I'm being named to the all-star team, too.'

'Honey, that's fantastic. We're so proud of you' Sara said, sounding just like her old self.

'Thanks…' Liam said, reverting to his usual modest persona.

Neal shared a smile with Sara. 'I'm going to try to make it down for one more game. I just have to figure things out at this end' he said.

'It's okay, Dad. I know you're with me in spirit, you guys have a lot going on, anyway. I'll call you in a few days, all right?'

'Okay buddy. Take care' Neal called out.

'Love you sweetie' Sara added before hanging up.

The mood had suddenly changed and Sara looked at Neal, the folly of her earlier behaviour coming clearly into focus.

'Sorry' she mumbled, embarrassed.

'It's okay, I know you're upset… so am I' Neal replied with a smile.

'And I _don't_ want you to sleep on the couch' she said as she let her body melt into his.

Neal lay on his back and held her close, running his hand through her hair.

'Good' he murmured as he kissed her forehead. 'Because my back can't take it anymore.'

Sara chuckled. 'Neal, why is this happening to me?'

'I don't know. It's just… a fluke' he replied. 'You know, we're going to have to tell the kids sooner or later.'

'Let's wait until I see the cardiologist' she said. 'The cardiologist… I can't even believe I'm seeing a goddamn cardiologist.'

Neal tried his luck at reasoning with her once again. 'I know you might not be ready to hear this yet but… well, I've been doing some research and they do this kind of thing dozens of times a day and it really _will_ resolve all the issues you've been having.'

Sara was quiet, listening to her husband's velvety voice, reassuring her.

'Plus, I'm getting a little tired of having you faint in my arms all the time' he added as he jostled her.

Sara began to weep softly, the sound echoing in the quiet house. 'Oh baby, please don't cry. You'll see, the doctors will fix you up and you'll be back to normal in no time… even better than before.'

'But what about our trip… and the baby…' she whimpered.

Neal pulled away to look into her eyes. 'I don't know… but we can ask all those questions when we see the doctor. Okay?' he said tenderly as he kissed the tip of her nose.

Sara nodded and let her head drop onto his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

'Thanks for putting up with all my… craziness' she murmured.

'Hey, that's what I'm here for' he whispered lovingly.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

By the time Monday morning rolled around, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Except for the faint outline of the bump on her forehead which she'd done her best to conceal with a little extra foundation, Sara Ellis looked much like she did every morning. She arrived at her desk, bright and early, ready to face the day. Neal had insisted on driving her into Manhattan and, considering he had a meeting scheduled with Winston Bosch, she'd agreed to the door to door service although she'd made it abundantly clear she would _not_ be putting up with any excessive mollycoddling.

Truth was, she was nervous… and frightened. Although her mystery ailment had finally been diagnosed, the news was far from reassuring and she couldn't help but worry about the coming days. She'd already done a face plant on three separate occasions and she worried about the next time her heart would decide to play tricks on her. What if she passed out while she was in the shower or in the middle of a meeting with a client or worse yet, while she was crossing a busy street.

Despite her fears, she soldiered on - as she'd always done whenever life threw her unexpected curve balls. Following her last run-in with her boss, she was eager to show him she had things under control so the first thing she did upon arriving at her desk was to reach out to Lydia Jordan across the pond in order to get a progress report. It was mid-afternoon in London and although they'd been in touch on a daily basis since she'd left, she was eager to see if there was any fresh news.

'They have a suspect in custody' Lydia announced, when they finally connected. 'Arrested him about an hour ago.'

'You're kidding! That's wonderful' Sara said.

'Some local guy was caught trying to fence the thing in broad daylight' Lydia explained.

Sara began to scribble notes as her top investigator filled her in. 'Is _he_ the thief?'

'That's unclear' Lydia said. 'And the police are playing it close to the vest so I haven't had a chance to talk with the guy.'

'He could be just the fence…' Sara mused.

'That's what I'm thinking. But who would be stupid enough to try to fence something so high profile just days after it was stolen' Lydia commented.

'Someone who's greedy for some kind of quick payoff' Sara remarked. 'It doesn't fit with the other MO's though, nothing else from that list has turned up yet.'

'Maybe whoever was hired to pull the job didn't follow orders very well.'

'That's possible, I suppose' Sara mused. 'Or maybe this one's not related to the rest of the thefts. So, they've recovered the item?'

'The police have it in lockdown and they won't hand it over until they're done with their investigation.'

'All right. See if you can get some one on one with this guy, figure out his role in all this. Then come home; I don't want to be responsible for Beatrice and Chloe passing out from malnutrition. I hear Sam's really struggling with getting them to eat his slop.'

Lydia laughed at the other end. 'Well, as much as I hate being away from them, I have to say a few days in a high end hotel in London hasn't been so terrible.'

Sara thought back to when the kids were young and she couldn't help but concur. 'I hear you. Call when you get in' she said as she rang off.

WCWCWC

Neal sat right outside Winston Bosch's office, waiting to meet with the head honcho himself. He and Peter had agreed they might have more luck if Neal met with him alone; if the man _did_ decide to open up about some painful or embarrassing episodes from his past, he might be more inclined to do so with a smaller audience.

Sara's earlier comment about Bosch's assistant had peaked Neal's interest and he studied her as she worked nearby. Sara had great instincts - a chicken sexer par excellence - and if _she_ had misgivings about the young woman, it was worth paying attention.

Rebecca Hastings was young - early to mid-twenties - very pretty and by all appearances, capable and efficient. He observed her as she opened her boss' mail, answered some calls and worked at her computer, smiling demurely at him when their eyes met briefly. She certainly didn't have the appearance of a master criminal but then again, Neal Caffrey knew that looks could be deceiving.

He was finally summoned into the office and took a seat across from Winston Bosch, his large oak desk between them.

'Did anything come of that list I gave you last week?' the man asked.

'Afraid not, sir' Neal replied. 'We did flag a couple of ex-staff who've had dealings with the law but nothing that would point to theft and deception.'

Bosch scoffed, disappointed. 'I got _this_ in the mail this morning' he said, handing Neal a typewritten note.

Neal's eyes swept over the short note, another ominous warning that Winston Bosch was destined to go down in flames before this whole sordid affair was over and done with.

'Well, I guess there's no longer any doubt that revenge is the motive' Neal asserted as the older man nodded soberly. 'Did this arrive by mail?'

'My assistant says it was hand delivered and sitting on her desk when she came in this morning' Bosch said, relating what Rebecca Hastings had told him.

Neal resolved to have a little talk with the woman and see what he could find out.

'My partner and I _did_ meet with Walker Perry at his home on Saturday' he told Bosch. 'He seems to have recovered nicely from those losses he suffered five years ago. His living arrangements suggest he's not under any financial stress.'

Neal noticed how Bosch's eyes lit up at the mention of his old friend's name; there was obviously some unfinished business between them.

'That's reassuring' Bosch said with a relieved smile.

'But the man didn't strike either one of us as the vengeful type' Neal added.

'It was a long shot. I never really thought Walker would stoop to doing something like this' Winston Bosch admitted.

'To be honest, Mr. Bosch, I feel like we've been looking in the all the wrong places' Neal admitted. 'If revenge _is_ the motive, whoever is doing this is going to great lengths and to great expense to make your life miserable.'

Bosch nodded but remained silent and Neal could see the wheels churning.

'I hate to bring this up again but are you quite certain you can't point us in another direction?' Neal asked politely.

The look on the man's face told him all he needed to know and he waited patiently for Bosch to open up. He watched him get to his feet and walk over to the large plate glass window overseeing downtown Manhattan - a million dollar view by any standard. The older man stood there for a long time, looking out as Neal waited for him to finally come clean.

'There are… things in my life I'm not very proud of' he finally said, turning to face Neal.

If anyone knew what _that_ felt like, it was Neal Caffrey. In his youth, he'd done plenty of things he now regretted, things that were done impulsively and without regard for how they might affect others. He was certainly in no position to judge.

Bosch sat down before continuing. 'I guess if I want to get to the bottom of this, I need to tell you everything.'

Neal nodded in silence.

'When I was in my teens, I was involved in a car accident. I'd been out with a few of my buddies painting the town, you know, reckless teenage boys with too much testosterone and one too many tequila shots… I should never have gotten behind the wheel… but I did and I lost control of the car on a country road. We rolled over and ended up in a ditch.'

Neal could see the pain in the man's eyes, all these years later.

'I walked away without a scratch but one of my friends was pinned to the car… when they finally got him out, he was paralyzed from the waist down' he admitted, his voice growing dim. 'It was a different era… I was never charged and he moved on with his life, got married, had kids but after a few years, it was just too painful for me to be near him and I… well, I stopped seeing him.'

'Do you know what happened to him?' Neal asked.

'He moved out to the west coast and someone told me he had quite a successful career in real estate but… no, I never reached out to him.'

'Do you suspect that this person might be out for revenge?'

Winston Bosch shrugged. 'I don't know… one of his brothers pushed him to sue at the time… but Cliff didn't want to have anything to do with it.'

His eyes rose to look at Neal, guilt written all over his face. Apparently, there was more to come.

'Also, you should know that I haven't always treated my staff with the respect they deserve. My assistants especially… I've had a number of affairs over the years and… well, one of the women who worked for me early on got pregnant with my baby and I…'

He hesitated, looking at Neal and searching the younger man's eyes for judgement but finding none.

'Well, I threatened to ruin her reputation if she spoke up. In the end, I fired her and made it hard for her to get another job. I was married to my second wife at the time and I knew she would take me for everything I had if she ever found out. But sometimes, I think about her, I wonder what happened to her… I think her name was Iris… and if she had the baby.'

'Would she be on that list of firings we were looking at?' Neal asked.

'No, no. I'm talking twenty-five, thirty years ago.'

'Do you think she might be capable of harbouring a grudge for all these years?'

'I don't know…' Winston Bosch replied, reflective. 'But maybe the kid found out or… I don't know, maybe I'm grasping at straws.'

Neal waited to see if any more confessions were forthcoming.

'What about your ex-wives? You have two, right?' Neal asked. There was nothing like passion to drive someone to seek out revenge, a woman scorned and all that.

'They're both really well taken care of… My first wife is actually close friends with my current wife' he added, realizing that might sound bizarre.

Neal looked thoughtful for a moment; there was certainly a lot to be said for monogamy.

'I'm desperate, Mr. Caffrey. I've worked my whole life to establish myself as a pillar of the community. If I'm forced out by the board and I go down in shame, _that_ will become my legacy and… I'll do anything to keep that from happening.'

Neal nodded. 'Can you give me the particulars - regarding the individuals you just mentioned? Anything you can remember, names, dates.'

'Of course' the man said, looking defeated.

Neal stood to leave. 'Let me look into this and I'll get back to you' he said soberly.

'Thank you…' Winston Bosch replied as he stood to walk him out.

Neal clasped the note he'd been given in his hand, intent on questioning the man's assistant about it but she wasn't at her desk when he stepped out so instead he headed for the elevator and down to the 31st floor to Sara Ellis' office.

WCWCWC

The recovery of the ruby tiara was definitely a boost. After months of dead ends, it was nice to finally put one in the win column. Sara had placed a call to her boss' office and asked for a meeting ASAP so she could share the good news. She half expected Neal to stop by on his way out so he could fill her in on his little chat with her boss and in the meantime, she busied herself reading reports from her underlings and catching up on the dozens of e-mails that had accumulated in her in-box. A soft knock on the door was heard and she looked up to find Jenny, her assistant, popping her head into her office.

'Ms Ellis, I've got a Dr. Cooper on the phone' she said. 'Oh, and Mr. Bosch's office called. He'll see you at eleven.'

'Thanks Jenny' Sara said as she reached for the phone. It appeared her hour of reckoning had finally arrived.

She took a deep breath and put on a smile, an odd gesture, considering Joanne Cooper wouldn't be able to see it - but maybe she'd hear it in her voice.

'Hi Dr. Cooper!' she said cheerfully.

'Sara! Good morning. How are you feeling?'

'Great' Sara fibbed with all the false enthusiasm she could muster.

'I just read the emergency room report from your visit to White Plains General on Saturday. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis… but you know, these kinds of issues can be dealt with very efficiently nowadays' she rushed to explain.

'Right' Sara responded flatly.

'By the way, thanks for the invite to your anniversary party. I'll definitely drop by.'

'That's great, I'm glad you can come' Sara replied.

'Look, I know you're planning a trip abroad and now that Hope's baby is coming two weeks earlier than we thought, I realize you probably want this dealt with as soon as possible so I reached out to an old friend of mine to see if he could fit you in' the kind doctor said.

Sara's mouth dropped open as she processed what she'd just heard but Dr. Cooper continued talking, droning on about an old friend from medical school who had a practice in Manhattan and who would be happy to see Sara as early as this week… blah blah blah blah blah…

'Sara?' Dr. Cooper said upon hearing silence on the other end of the line.

'Yes' Sara replied, snapping out of it.

'Did you hear what I just said?'

'Hum… could you repeat the time?' Sara asked.

'That's Thursday morning at ten, in that medical building on West 88th Street. His name is Jerold Hines and he's quite the comedian; don't believe a single thing he says about me… especially if it's about that conference we attended together when we were medical students' Dr. Cooper said with a warm laugh.

Sara sat at her desk, stunned. 'Yeah, of course' she replied, vacuous.

'Let me know how you get on' the woman said before hanging up.

'Sure. Thanks Dr. Cooper' Sara replied.

She sat, staring into space. Hope's baby was coming early! Why hadn't her daughter said anything about it? She pulled out a calendar and checked the dates - her original due date was July 17th and two weeks earlier made it… She gasped, noting the date. She and Neal had a flight out of Charles de Gaulle on the 3rd and wouldn't even be landing back in New York until the wee small hours of the morning on the 4th.

There was another discreet knock on the door and Jenny reappeared. 'Ms Ellis, your husband is here.'

Neal peeked in over Jenny's shoulder, looking dapper in a navy suit and striped navy and white shirt and his smile immediately faded as he got a good look at his wife's face, looking like she'd seen a ghost.

'Sara…' he said as he stepped into the office. 'Are you all right?'

She lifted her face to look at him, looking like death warmed over. 'That was Dr. Cooper on the phone' she murmured.

'What's wrong?' he asked, making it all the way around her desk and perching on its edge.

'It's Hope... Dr. Cooper says her due date's been moved up to July 3rd' she said, incredulous.

'What? That can't be right' Neal replied.

'She obviously thought I knew about it when she blurted it out. Why wouldn't Hope tell us?'

Neal stared back at his wife, needing a minute to absorb this new information. He shook his head as he put things together. 'She's probably worried we'll change our travel plans if we find out.'

'Of course we'll change our travel plans…' Sara began.

'Honey, we _have_ been planning this trip for a long time' Neal reasoned. 'She was the one who pushed us to go in the first place, remember?'

'Yeah but… the baby… that's more important' Sara said.

'I agree but if she didn't tell us, there's got to be a reason. Or maybe she's planning on telling us but hasn't gotten around to doing it yet' he theorized.

His eyes moved to the notepad still clasped in Sara's hand, noting a date and time.

'What's this?' he asked. 'Is this for the appointment with the cardiologist?'

Sara let out a loud sigh. 'Yeah, he can see me this Thursday' she responded flatly.

'That's great, honey' Neal said, noticing her face was anything but relieved. 'Isn't it?'

To say that Sara looked disheartened was putting it mildly. She got to her feet and wrapped her arms tightly around Neal's neck as he responded in kind, lacing his arms around her waist and holding her close.

'I suppose' he heard her mumble, her face buried in his shirt.

'Hey…It's going to be fine' he whispered in her ear as he ran his hand up and down her back.

They pulled away from each other and Neal gave her one of his winner smiles. 'Did you read any of the stuff I printed out for you?'

Sara scoffed; she loved him for his 'glass half-full' view of life but sometimes, it drove her nuts when she felt he wasn't being very realistic.

'No, not yet' she replied, unable to get angry at him. 'But I will. It was really sweet of you.'

'Guess what? I got a couple of new leads from your boss' he added with a twinkle in his eye. 'It seems I was right. Old man Bosch has a few skeletons in his closet.'

'Oh yeah? Well, I've got more good news. The ruby tiara that was stolen last week has just turned up in London.'

'You're kidding! That's fantastic. Any leads on who stole it?'

'Not yet, but Lydia's working on it. Hopefully, she'll find out who the fence was working for.'

Neal's smile widened. 'All told… I'd say things are looking up, wouldn't you?'

Sara shook her head in exasperation at Neal's view of life though rose coloured glasses; 'I suppose…' was all she could say.

WCWCWC

Life at Syracuse University had returned to normal for young Liam Caffrey. And what a busy life it was: exams were in full swing and there was a playoff game practically every second day as the Orange fought to stay alive. Cody had been busy with his own exams back in New York and although normally, Liam would have been pining for him, he'd hardly had any time to dwell on it, considering how busy he was.

The end of May signalled his birthday and he looked forward to being back in New York to celebrate with family and friends. Exams would be over by then and if the team pulled out of its slump and made it to round two of the playoffs, he might be able to commute from New York for games and practices.

His earlier conversation with Caitlin had him rattled; what had seemed like a casual question about his best friend wasn't sitting well with him. He was overdue to have a heart to heart with Will and once he got back to his room after dinner, he picked up the phone to reach out to him.

'Hey! I was just going to call you' Will said, when they finally connected. 'A bunch of us were thinking of coming down for your game on Friday night.'

'That's great!' Liam replied with a smile; he loved having people visiting from New York.

'Can you get us some tickets?' Will asked.

'Sure. Who's all coming?' Liam asked.

'Jake and Renée said they wanted to come and maybe Mark and Coop…' he hesitated for a moment '…and I was thinking maybe I'd ask Caitlin if she wanted to come along.'

'Caitlin? _My_ Caitlin?' Liam asked; his worst fears seemed to be coming true.

'Your Caitlin?' Will laughed. 'I didn't realize she was _your_ Caitlin.'

'Cute, you know what I mean' Liam replied. 'Since when do you hang out with _her_?'

'I don't… but I bumped into her on the weekend and she was saying how she wanted to go see one of your games…'

There was an awkward silence on the line as Liam considered what his best friend has just said.

'I know you're always saying she's a total pain in the ass but… we had a nice chat' Will admitted.

'A _nice chat_?' Liam repeated, incredulous. 'Who the hell are you and what have you done with my best friend?'

There was nervous laughter on the line. 'What can I say, I think she's a nice girl' Will admitted. 'Do you know if she's seeing anyone?'

'I thought Mom said something about her seeing this guy she met at school but…' Liam began, unsure how to react to Will's question.

'Speaking of which, how's she doing?' Will asked.

'Who? Caitlin?' Liam asked, thoroughly confused.

'No you idiot, your mom!'

Now Liam was really confused. 'My mom?' Liam repeated.

'She scared the living shit out of me when I saw her lying there on the floor at the store' Will added, unaware he was sharing news with his best friend.

'What are you talking about, dude?' Liam asked.

'She passed out at the pet store on the weekend. Didn't she tell you? They had to take her to the hospital by ambulance' Will explained.

'You're kidding. But I talked to my folks on Saturday night and they never said a thing.'

Will felt like crap for blurting out the news and he tried his best to backtrack. 'Sorry, I thought for sure you knew. Maybe it isn't as serious as it looked' he said in an attempt to reassure his best friend.

His reassurances were for naught and Liam felt sudden tension in his shoulders.

'Look, I'm going to call home and find out what's going on. Call me tomorrow and let me know exactly how many tickets you need and what time you're getting here. If you come early enough, we can go out and get a bite to eat.'

He hung up and took a deep breath and before he'd even exhaled, he was calling home.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The house was eerily quiet as it was way too often these days. Sara stepped out of the bathtub and grabbed for a nice, thick towel, wrapping it around her body. She held on to the wall for balance, feeling a little bit light headed and she glanced at herself in the mirror. She was probably over thinking it; ever since she'd gotten her diagnosis, she kept imagining she was dizzy or light-headed - surely a case of medical student syndrome.

She tiptoed across the hall towards the bedroom just as Neal was coming up the stairs.

'Hey, hey, hey' he called out playfully. 'You're dripping all over the carpet and I have to walk on it with my socks' he teased.

She gave him a dirty look, knowing full well it was payback time.

'Very funny, Caffrey' she responded as he caught up to her and grabbed her by the waist, placing a kiss on her wet, bare shoulder.

'Who was that on the phone?' she asked, breaking away and rifling through her dresser for a pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt.

Neal kicked off his shoes and let himself fall on the edge of the bed. 'Liam.'

'Liam? He's not having problems again, is he?' she asked, her face tense.

'No, no, nothing like that. Actually, he was calling to see how _you_ were?'

'How _I_ was? What do you mean?'

Neal wagged his eyebrows in response and began unbuttoning his shirt. 'Apparently, Will assumed Liam knew about your little mishap at the pet store the other day and he mentioned it in passing to him on the phone.'

'Oh no' Sara replied, joining him on the edge of the bed.

'Don't worry' Neal said, letting his hand linger up and down her arm. 'I think I managed to convince him you were going to be fine.'

'Did you tell him I was seeing a specialist?' she asked.

'I had to, honey. Our kids are smart, you know.'

'But what if he tells Hope? I don't want her to hear about it until we know exactly what's going on… or better yet, not at all.'

'Ye-a-ah… I don't think that's a good idea, babe. You can't keep this from her indefinitely' Neal replied, watching as she frowned. 'You know, it's really not all that terrible… plenty of people have pacemakers and they live perfectly normal lives.'

She looked at him skeptically as he continued. 'Anyway, I asked Liam to hold off telling Hope for now. No point worrying her until we know exactly what's going on.'

Sara slipped in under the blankets and watched as Neal stood and proceeded to finish getting undressed.

'Have you heard anything from Lydia?' he asked, joining her in bed.

Sara sighed. 'I asked her to stay another night; the police are really being tight-lipped. I guess they figure the case is closed now that they've made the arrest but I told her I need to find out if this guy was the thief or just the fence.'

'That reminds me…' Neal said. 'Sam called this afternoon and said the girls are missing their mom. I invited them over for dinner tomorrow night. Is that okay with you?'

She gave him the classic _it's a little too late to be asking_ look. 'As long as _you_ cook…'

Neal reached for something on the bedside table and handed it to her.

'What's this?' she asked.

'Your boss got another anonymous note this morning. I doubled back to his office after I popped in to see you so I could ask his assistant about it.'

'What's your take on her?' Sara asked, sitting up and facing him.

'She seems like a nice enough young woman… said when she got in this morning, that was on her desk' he said, pointing to the note.

Sara examined the envelope with the name _Winston Bosch_ and the word _confidential_ typed on it and she read the note that had been slipped inside.

Neal continued. 'I asked her who would have access to her office so early and she said security unlocks the outer office door on their rounds at seven o'clock every morning. Is that true?'

'It's possible' Sara replied. 'There's always someone at the security desk on the executive floor so people can't just waltz in any time they like.'

'So how did this envelope get on her desk, then?' Neal asked.

'That's a good question. I could talk to the head of security if you want.'

'That'd be great' Neal replied with a sigh.

Sara handed him back the note and leaned in to kiss him goodnight. 'Can you get the light, honey?'

Neal set the note on the bedside table and turned out the lights, settling on his back as Sara curled up in his arms. She grew quiet, pondering what to do about Hope's appointment with Dr. White over at Bronx Lebanon. She had promised not to mention it to Neal but she was having second thoughts; there were enough secrets floating around and it didn't feel right to keep it from him any longer.

'Neal…' she said quietly, in the darkened room.

'Mmmm' he murmured.

'Hope asked me not to tell you but… she made an appointment with Dr. White and she asked me to go with her.'

Neal frowned at the mention of the specialist who had overseen his daughter's case during her long recovery. 'Why is she seeing Dr. White? Is there something wrong?'

'She's afraid she's relapsing because she's been feeling so anxious and her stuttering has gotten so much worse lately.'

Neal listened and let out a slow breath.

'She had an ECG last week and I said I'd go with her to meet with the doctor to get the results. She hasn't even told Cam about it yet.'

'So, when is this happening?' he asked.

'Wednesday… and now that I can't drive… I'm going to have to come up with some excuse for why I can't pick her up to take her to the appointment' she moaned.

'Just… tell her you got held up at work and ask her to take a cab and meet you at the doctor's office' Neal suggested.

He felt Sara nodding against his chest.

'I'm sorry I didn't tell you before' she murmured.

Neal squeezed her tight. 'I get it… It's hard when the kids confide in us' he said. 'I just wish Hope wouldn't worry so much about upsetting me. It's been five years and it's as if she still thinks I'll fall apart and start drinking at the first sign of trouble.'

'Nobody thinks that, Neal' Sara said, her voice quiet. 'But what happened… well, it shook us all up and nobody wants to see you go through anything like that again —'

'That's not going to happen!' Neal said, sounding slightly defensive. He'd worked hard to find his way back to his family and he knew all too well what was at stake if he ever let himself fall into the abyss of alcohol abuse again.

'Neal…' she said, sitting up and leaning on her elbow so she could look into his eyes. 'Hope loves you… _I_ love you and we were terrified we were going to lose you back then. That's all. Don't read too much into it.'

'Sometimes, I feel like I still have to prove myself…' he said wistfully.

'Honey, you're making it sound like she's purposefully shutting you out. She just… worries. Please…' she said, leaning in to touch his face '… just take it for what it is.'

She felt Neal's shoulders relax and she returned to his arms, bringing her hand to rest around his waist and hugging him. It was a huge relief to finally have confessed about Hope's appointment; she hated keeping secrets from him.

'Want to hear something funny?' Neal asked, lightening the mood. 'Liam says there's something brewing between Caitlin and Will.'

Sara giggled. 'What? _Our_ Caitlin and Will Allenby?'

'Yeah, he said they've both asked him if the other was dating anyone' Neal explained.

'Well, Caitlin _is_ seeing someone, technically' Sara clarified.

'Apparently, she's not as much into Ben as we thought she was or she wouldn't be asking Liam about Will' Neal said.

'Wow!' Sara replied, digesting the news.

There was silence for a moment while they both imagined the possibility of a romance.

'I can sort of see it, you know' Sara confessed. 'Will is sweet and a little on the quiet side and she's…'

'A hurricane?' Neal offered with a soft laugh.

'No! She's just… full of energy and you have to admit she's come an awfully long way.'

'Well, Liam is freaking out at the thought of his best friend cosy-ing up to his 'sister' Neal said with a gentle laugh.

'Opposites _do_ attract' Sara commented, running her hand languidly up and down Neal's chest.

'Yes, they do' Neal said as he leaned down to kiss his wife.

WCWCWC

There was a loud sigh of contentment and Peter Burke let himself fall back on his pillow with a look of pure bliss on his face.

'Mmmm' he murmured as Elizabeth curled up against him. 'That was nice.'

'That _was_ nice' she replied with the same goofy look on her face. 'And twice in one week! Why, Peter Burke, where is all this newfound energy coming from?'

Peter chuckled. 'I don't know… it's nice to be back in the swing of things.'

'If I'd known it was going to have this effect on you, I would have suggested you go back to work a lot sooner' El said.

They lay in blissful silence, El's mind wandering to the next few days and weeks.

'Honey, which suit do you want to wear to Neal and Sara's wedding? The light brown... or the dark brown?' she asked, realizing it was slim pickings in the suit department. 'I need to take it to the cleaners.'

Peter didn't have much in the way of suits and what he did have seemed to all look the same. She'd tried for years to get him to diversify his look - without much luck. At least when he worked at the Bureau, he wore a suit every day; at the gallery, he tended to dress casually although he had been known to throw on a tie from time to time.

'Cute, El' he replied. Regardless of her attempts to tease him about the lack of variety in his wardrobe, he wasn't about to let her ruin the afterglow from the amazing sex they'd just had.

'Oh, honey…' she replied with a giggle. 'You know, we _could_ splurge and get you a new suit for the wedding. Maybe a grey one, this time.'

'Grey, huh? That might look good on me' he said with a smile. 'And it _would_ make a nice change from… brown.'

'So, how's your case going?' Elizabeth asked.

'Good. Neal met with Bosch today and it seems the old man's been holding out on us. He admitted to a couple of… indiscretions.'

'Oh yeah?' Elizabeth said, suddenly interested. 'Like what?'

'I don't know, El… I really shouldn't repeat it until we see if it leads anywhere.'

Many a time over the years, Elizabeth Burke's natural inquisitive nature had evolved into morbid curiosity. She was used to Peter having to be discreet about cases at the FBI but it didn't keep her from asking, every chance she got.

'Like… cheating on his wife… and getting some poor girl knocked up' she said, mostly in jest.

Peter turned, stunned, eyes growing in the semi-dark room.

'You're kidding!' Elizabeth said. 'He got some poor unsuspecting young girl pregnant!'

'How do you do that?' Peter asked, shaking his head. 'And it was years ago… like almost thirty years ago.'

'Wow! Wonder whatever happened to the baby' she mused. 'Hey, you don't suppose the kid would want to get revenge on the man who refused to acknowledge his existence, do you?'

Peter stared back, incredulous. 'The thought had crossed our minds' he admitted.

'I thought those things only happened in movies' she said, stifling a yawn.

'Ready to go to sleep, Mrs. Burke?' Peter asked as he squeezed her tight.

'Uh huh' she murmured, growing quiet and giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

And that, Peter thought, is how you keep your wife happy and content.

WCWCWC

Not very far away in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, another, much younger man was basking in the afterglow of a delightful encounter with his very pregnant wife. Cameron Armstrong had heard the rumours about pregnant sex but he'd always been skeptical - up until recently, that is. The last few weeks had brought a resurgence of interest commensurate with Hope's belly - the bigger she got, the hotter she was for him and he certainly had no complaints about her newfound enthusiasm. As a bonus, he'd noticed that she was never more relaxed than when they were making out; there seemed to be no sign of anxiety and her speech was fluid - never any stuttering in the bedroom.

He leaned over to kiss her goodnight, bringing his leg up to brush gently against her baby bump. What was meant as a chaste goodnight kiss seemed to trigger something in Hope and she let out a soft moan, pushing him off her as she proceeded to climb onto his lap, straddling him and gazing down at him with a naughty grin.

'You're kidding!' Cameron lamented. 'You _do_ know I have to get up to go to work in less than… five hours' he said, glancing at the clock by their bed.

'Oh, yeah. Is that a complaint Mr. Armstrong?' Hope asked, leaning down and pressing her belly against his.

The sensation shot straight through him and he groaned, his arms reaching out for her. He'd already gone once but he was starting to think he could probably manage a second round. Sleep was highly overrated anyway.

'No' he murmured, his voice rough. 'That it not a… whoa, whoa, _what_ was that?'

Hope reached down to rub her belly. 'I think you woke the baby' she murmured, her voice sultry.

' _I_ woke the baby. I was all for turning over and going to sleep before you practically jumped my bones… again' he teased, his lips moving in on her neck.

He pulled her in, feeling the fullness of her belly pressed up against him and he brought his hands up into her thick hair, his breathing quickening as his lips began to move down to her engorged breasts.

'Hold that thought' Hope murmured into his ear as she pulled away. He let out a loud groan and watched as she wriggled off of him with some difficulty and managed to get herself seated on the edge of the bed, looking back at him with her bright blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

'Don't go anywhere' she said breathlessly as she struggled to get to her feet. 'I need to pee.'

WCWCWC

Neal woke on Tuesday morning, curled up against his wife, morning wood insistently pushed up against her.

'S'ry' he mumbled sleepily as he pulled away and settled onto his back.

Their conversation from the night before came flooding back. Sara had gently fended off his advances - a rare occurrence - and he wanted to respect her wishes, as illogical as her reasons had been. They had just started to get into it when Sara had panicked and reluctantly pulled away. The thought of having sex with a faulty ticker was really freaking her out and Neal had agreed to hold off until they saw the cardiologist and had a chance to discuss it - along with all the other concerns she'd been having.

He let his mind wander, settling on the multiplication table for the number 27 in an attempt to quell his little… flare-up. _27 times three… 81_.

Sara turned over to look at him; he was taking deep breaths and his eyes were focussed straight ahead as he lay there with his arms tucked up behind his head.

'27 times six… 162' he mumbled as she frowned.

'I'm sorry about last night' she said, curling up against him and running her hand languidly up and down his chest. 'I know I'm probably being silly but… better safe than sorry.'

Neal continued with the mental exercise. _27 times eleven… 291_

 _27 times twelve…_ Sara's hand grazed one of his nipples, absentmindedly caressing it and Neal let out a loud gasp.

'Not helping, honey…' he muttered, momentarily distracted from the mental arithmetic. 'Just… just give me a minute…'

He rolled out of bed and Sara watched him sprint to the bathroom and return a few moments later.

'Better?' she asked as he slipped back into bed and opened his arms up to her.

'Yeah…' he sighed.

Sara glanced at the bedside clock, noticing they still had a good fifteen minutes before she needed to hit the shower. She settled in for a nice long cuddle before starting their day.

'So, what are you up to today?' she asked her husband.

'I haven't been to the school in almost a week so I thought I'd drop by and see if everything's okay' he began. 'Then, Peter and I are going to get going on those new leads we got. You?'

'I want to lean on the authorities in London to see what I can find out about this fence they've arrested' she said. 'And I want to talk to Fred, the head of security, to see if we can figure out who dropped off that note for Mr. Bosch yesterday.'

Neal nodded. 'Oh, and don't forget Sam and the girls are coming over for dinner tonight. Is Caitlin going to be here to help out with the kids?'

'She's usually home for dinner on Tuesdays… What were you thinking of making? Spaghetti?' she asked, knowing all too well their goddaughter's weakness for Neal's pasta.

Neal looked down at her and wagged his eyebrows. 'Is there anything else where Bibi is concerned?'

'Well, we all _love_ your meatballs, Caffrey' she cooed suggestively.

'Okay, now stop… I just got another really naughty thought. If you need me to keep my hands off you, you've got to do your part… and _not_ talk about my meatballs that way…'

The two of them grew quiet, enjoying the last few moments before starting their busy day.

'Neal…' Sara said, reflective. 'What if I can never have sex again?'

Neal couldn't hold back a chuckle. 'Honey, I'm pretty sure people with pacemakers have normal sex lives… and they go to work, and they come home and spend time with their kids and their grandkids and they laugh and they cry and they carry on with their lives.'

Sara sighed loudly; she was definitely worried about the future, worried her life would never be the same again.

'Babe, close your eyes' Neal instructed.

Sara did as she was told and snuggled up in his arms, trying her best to relax.

Neal spoke, his voice soft and melodious. 'Imagine the two of us at the Champs-Élysées, boutiques and restaurants and cafés all the way from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde with huge shade trees on either side. We settle in at a little bistro where a man with a handlebar moustache calls you 'madame' and serves us the world's best café au lait and buttery croissants that actually melt in your mouth.'

He could feel Sara's body relaxing in his arms and he brought his lips to her forehead. 'Baby, I'm going to show you the most amazing art you've ever seen and then you and I are going to walk along the Seine, hand in hand… and then, I'm going to take you back to our beautiful hotel suite, feed you strawberries dipped in Belgian chocolate and I'm going to sweep you off your feet and you are going to _beg_ me to make love to you… all night long.'

Sara giggled. 'All night long, huh? I like the sound of that' she murmured.

'Well, over the next few days, when you start to get scared or worried about Hope and the baby or about your doctor's appointment or anything else, I want you to close your eyes and think about us in Paris, enjoying the sights… enjoying each other and I want you to hold on to that thought. Do you think you can do that for me?' he whispered sweetly.

'Okay…' Sara said, wistfully.

He took her hand in his and gazed down at her wedding ring.

'You know I really _do_ need to take this from you and have it cleaned. Are you ready to part with it for a couple of weeks, just until I slip it back on your finger for good?'

'Really?' Sara said sadly as she removed it and handed it to him.

He kissed her naked finger. 'I promise to give it back and then you'll never have to take it off again… at least not until our fiftieth wedding anniversary.'

'It's a deal' she said.

WCWCWC

Iris Hastings was beside herself. The news that the man who'd been hired to steal the ruby tiara had been arrested had been delivered in a most impersonal way - by the BBC no less - as she'd sat, listening for news about the theft. She grabbed for the phone to call her contact in Brussels for the third time. She'd known all along that the overseas thefts would be the trickiest to manage from a distance and she was finding out that money could only buy you so much in the way of loyalty.

The call went straight to voicemail and she left another message, her voice loud and angry. 'Thierry, it's Iris again. Call me the minute you get this message' she barked before being overcome by another annoying coughing fit.

She recovered and began to pace around the small kitchen, her anger simmering. Recovering the tiara would be seen as a win for the insurance company and she couldn't abide that Winston Bosch would be off the hook - at least temporarily.

Maybe she was going about this all wrong. Maybe humiliation _wasn't_ enough. She made her way to her bedroom and opened the closet door, reaching in the very back and pulling out the handgun she'd had ever since Rebecca was just a child. It had never been fired; it had been purchased as a means of protection for a single woman, living alone with her little girl.

Maybe it was time to think of it as something else: an instrument for revenge.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

The small coffee shop adjacent to the Raphael Gallery was humming with activity as Peter made his way to his and Neal's usual table. There was a cappuccino and a sandwich already waiting for him and he frowned as he settled in the chair across from Neal.

'Whole wheat? Seriously?' he complained with a grimace.

Neal smirked, somewhat annoyed. 'You could be a little more appreciative, Peter. It's ham and gruyère' he explained. 'Consider yourself lucky, I almost got you the chick pea with alfalfa sprouts on gluten free rice bread.'

Peter shook his head and rolled his eyes but immediately dove in, taking a huge bite of the sandwich, not even trying to disguise his delight.

'So, what have you got?' he asked, his mouth full.

'A little more information on those two new leads' Neal said as he poked lazily at his salad. 'Like I told you, Bosch was involved in a car wreck more than forty years ago that left one of his friends paralyzed.'

'Forty years ago... do you really think someone would wait forty years before trying to get revenge?' Peter asked, skeptical.

'Stranger things have happened. Sometimes, there can be a trigger years after the fact or maybe the man's situation has changed recently…'

Peter shrugged. 'It's worth looking into, I suppose.'

'And Bosch admitted to having affairs with pretty well all the personal assistants he's had over the years' Neal added, pulling out a short list of names.

Peter looked a little more intrigued. 'That sounds… juicy' he admitted.

'Well, there's a long line of them but this is the one…' Neal said, pointing to a name on the list. '… who got pregnant. He admits to having been particularly nasty to her.'

'What? Like the guy's been a choir boy since then?' Peter asked, taking a sip of coffee.

'I get the feeling he's mellowed with age' Neal countered. 'He actually looked sorry for what he'd done.'

'So how do you want to handle this?' Peter asked.

'How about we each take a lead and see where it takes us' Neal suggested.

'Okay. I can take the mistresses; a paralyzed guy is just depressing' Peter said as Neal rolled his eyes.

'Fine, I'll look into Cliff Brewer and you get started on this list, emphasis on…' he hesitated and glanced down at the sheet of paper '… Iris Hastings.'

'K' Peter said, munching away on his sandwich with exuberance.

'Did you not have breakfast this morning?' Neal asked mordantly in reaction to Peter's overly enthusiastic treatment of his ham and cheese sandwich.

'Yeah, El made me eat some bland oatmeal with plain yogurt' he responded with a grimace. 'So, how's Sara feeling?'

'She's keeping a tight lid on it… as usual' Neal replied. 'We're seeing the specialist on Thursday morning.'

'What does all that mean for your trip?' Peter asked, focusing on his best friend's face.

Neal shrugged. 'Getting a pacemaker is pretty straightforward but I don't know how long she might have to wait to have it done… and I don't know how long it takes to recover or if she'll be able to fly. I'm trying not to overthink it until we talk to the doctor…' he said, his voice trailing.

Peter nodded. He knew that keeping busy helped when things were in limbo. 'Anything I can do to help?' he asked.

'You're doing it' Neal replied with a smile.

WCWCWC

Within a period of twenty-four hours, the Caffrey home had gone from deathly quiet to buzzing with effervescent energy thanks to the arrival of two very busy little girls - and Neal and Sara couldn't be happier.

Having the house basically to themselves certainly had its advantages: they could sit around having breakfast in their underwear if they chose to, they were free to come and go without having to coordinate meals for a trio of busy teenagers and their love life was free to blossom - as much as their sometimes declining stamina allowed, at least. But the truth was, they missed having their kids around and, at times, the silence in the house was downright deafening.

Luckily, Sam and Lydia Jordan and their girls were frequent visitors to the Caffrey house, particularly eight-year-old Beatrice who visited regularly so she could spend some quality time with her beloved godparents. She and Neal had always shared a special bond, strengthened by their mutual interest in cooking and in the arts and like Hope before her, Bibi spent hours down in the studio, sharing time with her uncle Neal, the man she thought the world of. Sara, for her part, had tapped into the young girl's interest in shopping. Beatrice had begun to develop her own style and she loved thrift shops and consignment stores; Sara was only to happy to indulge her every chance she got.

Beatrice Sara Jordan was a poised, thoughtful child who loved school and enjoyed devouring books that were well beyond what one might expect for a young girl her age. She'd read every single entry from the Harry Potter series and lately, she'd gone retro, reading the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton's Famous Five series from cover to cover. With her horn-rimmed glasses, she looked every bit the studious young woman she was becoming whereas her five-year-old sister Chloe was the polar opposite: frivolous, excitable and basically, hell on wheels. It was difficult to pin down what Clo-Clo, as she was affectionately know, was interested in. Her interests ran the gamut from gymnastics to dance to playing the piano and, of course, running up and down the soccer pitch during the carefree summer months.

'Have you talked to Lydia today?' Sara asked Sam Jordan as the motley crew sat down to a huge serving bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, a humongous Caesar salad and some gooey garlic cheese bread.

'She's catching a flight back tomorrow morning' he replied. 'And not a moment too soon, huh munchkin?' he said, running his hand through Chloe's matted hair.

Sara exchanged knowing looks with Caitlin; the child had thick, curly hair that tangled easily and with her mom away, Sara could see that her coiffure had been somewhat neglected.

'Chloe, would you like it if I did your hair before your mom comes home?' Caitlin asked the five-year-old.

'Can I have braids?' she asked, her mouth full.

'Of course, you can have braids' the young woman said as Sam sighed in relief; hair was really not his thing.

Being on his own with the girls had been challenging. On top of running his art supply store, he helped coach Chloe's soccer team and he was finishing up the school year as president of the parent advisory committee at Bibi's school. Seeing to his daughters' many needs as well as providing healthy meals seemed to be taking its toll on him and Sara felt a pang of remorse for having sent his wife so far away and leaving him on his own to cope with their busy household.

'This tastes amazing, Neal' Sam said as he tucked into his salad. 'Thanks a lot for having us over.'

'I told you, Daddy. Uncle Neal makes the best meatballs' Beatrice said, wagging her finger at her dad.

Neal gave Sara a discreet wink and turned to his goddaughter. 'Do you think you'll ever get tired of spaghetti and meatballs, Bibi?'

'Never!' she replied, flipping a strand of her long hair over her shoulder in dramatic fashion.

'Next time you come over, I can show you how to make meatballs if you want' Neal suggested. 'That way, you can make them for your mom and dad.'

'And for me!' Chloe called out.

'And for you!' Neal replied, grabbing her nose and squeezing playfully.

'So, tell us about school, Clo-Clo' Sara said, addressing the child.

Chloe stood from her chair and began to jump up and down as if she had springs instead of legs. 'I'm getting a prize for being the most ex-ex-uberant person in my class' she said with pride. 'What does it mean again, Daddy?'

'It means you're annoying' Beatrice replied, adjusting her glasses on the tip of her nose.

'Bibi!' Sam chastised. 'That's not nice. It means you're a bundle of energy, sweetheart' he said, turning to address his youngest daughter.

Both girls were taking art classes at the gallery and Neal and Hope often used them as a barometer when evaluating the success of their program. 'Are you liking your class at the gallery, girls?' Neal asked.

Chloe nodded enthusiastically while a serious-looking Beatrice put down her fork before speaking. 'Uncle Neal, who's going to teach us when Hope has her baby?'

Neal opened his mouth to answer but Chloe was back on her feet, obviously excited and dying to share some news.

'Mommy has a baby in her tummy, too!' she proceeded to blurt out as her dad and older sister glared at her.

'I told you, Daddy, she's too little to keep a secret' Bibi said, giving her sister a playful shove only to have Chloe shove her back twice as hard.

Sara stared at Sam, her mouth open. 'Is it true?' she asked, shocked. As well as being her top insurance investigator, Lydia Jordan was a close friend and confidante and yet, the woman had managed to keep this important piece of news from her boss and mentor.

Sam let out a sigh and looked away, obviously uncomfortable. 'We just… we just found out a couple of weeks ago. Lydia wanted to wait a couple of weeks before telling… everybody.'

'That's great news!' Neal said as he patted Sam Jordan on the back. 'What do you think, maybe a little boy this time.'

'Yuck!' Chloe cried out. 'Boys are stupid.'

'They are not!' Beatrice argued.

'Are so! You're only saying that because you like Devin Stupidmeyer' the young child teased. 'He's your boyfriend.'

'He is _not_! And his name is Devin Strutmeyer not Stupidmeyer. You're the one who's stupid.'

'Girls! Girls! Please!' Sam cried out, looking totally overwhelmed.

'Hey, I have an idea' Neal said, turning to speak to Beatrice. 'While Caitlin's doing Chloe's hair, why don't you and I and Auntie Sara take Raffie out to the dog park and we can let your dad put his feet up for a little while and relax.'

Sam gave Neal a look of sheer gratitude at the thought of having a few minutes to himself. Poor guy, Neal thought - it was probably the first break he'd had since Lydia first left for London.

And with another baby on the way, Sam Jordan wasn't out of the woods yet.

WCWCWC

Over in Brooklyn, Elizabeth had just finished a quiet dinner and was enjoying a cup of tea and a good spy novel when a knock on the door interrupted the peace and quiet of their humble home. With Peter back to working three days a week, she was taking full advantage of his absences to have long, leisurely lunches with girlfriends, to stroll through some of the local art galleries whenever the urge hit and to curl up on the couch with a good book for hours on end - all guilt-free.

The discreet knock at the front door, although unexpected, left little doubt as to who might be visiting at this time of day and a peek out onto the front stoop confirmed her suspicions.

'Mozzie! This is a nice surprise' she said as she welcomed the newcomer.

The bespectacled man strolled in, looking even more anxious than usual.

'El, we need to talk' he said, wringing his hands obsessively.

'What's up?' she asked, leading the way into the kitchen.

'We have to talk about… the wedding. I'm getting some serious pushback from the bride and groom and I need your help.'

'Darjeeling or chamomile?' she asked, reaching into the cupboard.

Mozzie stared ahead, seemingly unable to make a choice. 'I'm thinking you could use some chamomile' Elizabeth decided unilaterally as Mozzie shrugged and took a seat at the kitchen island.

'Where's the Suit?' Mozzie asked, out of the blue, as he glanced around the open space.

'He's closing up at the gallery and he's working on this case with Neal' Elizabeth explained.

'A case?' Mozzie repeated, seemingly miffed about being kept out of the loop. Instead, he focussed on the other part of El's answer. 'And I thought he'd retired from the gallery.'

'He _had_ but… it's a long story. Just, tell me why you look like a crazy man. What is it Neal and Sara are pushing back on?' El asked as she put the water on to boil.

'They're not taking any of my scholarly suggestions about the ceremony' he stated unequivocally. 'For one thing, Sara is refusing to have her hands tattooed.'

Elizabeth studied him with interest; she was going to have to tread carefully if she didn't want to break his delicate spirit.

'Start with your _scholarly_ _suggestions_ about the ceremony… what were you suggesting?'

Mozzie pulled out a small vial from his jacket pocket and placed it delicately on the island right before El's eyes. She squinted to see what was inside, letting out a scream as she recognized a hairy spider crawling around the confined space, eager to be set free.

'English lore claims that finding a spider on your wedding dress in a good omen so I've secured this lovely specimen for Sara's dress…' he began.

Elizabeth winced as she examined the large insect. 'Mozzie, nobody wants to have an… eight-legged spider on their brand new wedding gown… it's… disturbing.'

Mozzie raised his hands in the air in a sign of defeat. 'I should have known you would side with Sara on this one.'

El placed the cup of tea in front of Mozzie and stepped back. 'Would you please… just get that thing out of here.'

Mozzie stood and walked to the back door and saying a few words of encouragement to his new friend, he placed the small container down on the ground before returning to take a sip of his tea.

'Ahhh' he moaned in appreciation as his anxiety began to fade.

'Mozzie, one of the things I've learned about coordinating events is that you have to listen carefully to what your clients want. It's not _about_ us, it's about them' she advised wisely.

'Oh, so you don't want Neal and Sara to have a happy life together, is that it?' he said, his voice bordering on hysterical.

'Honey, they've been happily married for the past twenty-five years. I really don't think a spider on Sara's wedding dress is going to make them any happier, do you?'

Mozzie grumbled in response. 'So, I suppose you're not going to support me in getting Sara to wear a veil to cover her face, either. It's to keep away the evil spirits who are jealous of her happiness.'

El gave him an understanding smile. Mozzie had a very unique way of looking at life and the last thing she wanted was to quash his good intentions. He was looking deflated at her lack of enthusiasm and she reached out to place her hand on his.

'What else, honey? Anything a little more… mainstream?' she asked, hoping his next suggestion wouldn't be quite so outlandish.

Mozzie continued to pout, obviously feeling unappreciated. 'I arranged to rent a sprinkler system to rain over the backyard during the ceremony' he began as El let out a sigh of exasperation.

'But Neal vetoed that as well. Did you know that rain on your wedding day is good luck and that it symbolizes fertility and cleansing?'

'Oh, Moz, don't you think Neal and Sara's child-bearing days are behind them?' she said, trying to be the voice of reason.

'Neal _did_ agree to carry Sara over the threshold' Mozzie whined.

'That's something, isn't it?' El reasoned.

'I suppose…' he moped. 'Otherwise, the bride is vulnerable to evil spirits through the soles of her feet' he explained earnestly.

'That's good to know' El replied, patting his hand gently. 'Do you want to hear about how we're decorating the backyard?'

Mozzie's face brightened somewhat in response to her question and he forced a smile.

'I've ordered a trellis like we had at their first wedding' she began. 'Oh, and here's the best part, Liam and Hope are going to walk Sara down the aisle. Isn't that neat?'

It wasn't as exciting as his suggestions but Mozzie smiled nonetheless.

'Now, will you do one thing for me?' she asked in that tone of voice Mozzie never could resist. 'Will you please get that thing out of my backyard and back to wherever it came from?'

WCWCWC

Peter sat in his car across the street from the modest bungalow. He looked longingly at the brown paper bag on the seat next to him and proceeded to open it with care, pulling out a double cheeseburger and a large order of onion rings as he settled in for his recon mission.

The house was quiet but there was a small blue car in the driveway - an indication that someone was likely home. As his countless years of work at the Bureau had taught him, it was important to get the lay of the land before you went charging into any situation and for the moment, he was content to sit back, munch on his high fat dinner and wait to see if anything developed in the next little while.

He put his seat back to give himself some extra leg room and grinned widely as he took his first bite.

WCWCWC

The park was predictably busy after dinner as everyone tended to their dogs' needs for exercise and… relieving themselves and Neal and Sara took a spot on a nearby bench, content to watch as Beatrice ran around the enclosed space with Raffie hot on her heels.

'Can you believe it? She didn't even tell me she was pregnant!' Sara complained as she let herself fall on the bench.

'Have _you_ told _her_ about needing a pacemaker?' Neal asked, trying to make a point.

Sara glared at him before responding. 'No… but that's different' she attempted to argue.

'How? How is it different, honey? People share their news when they're good and ready and not a minute before' Neal said.

She hated it when he was being reasonable and logical; there was no rational response to what he'd just said so Sara settled for giving her husband a loud tsk for good measure and soldiered on, opting for a change of subject.

'Did you find out anything about this guy out in California?' she asked.

Neal sighed; unfortunately, it was looking like another dead end.

'This guy's a big shot in the tech sector; I can't see anything that would indicate he's out there nursing a grudge that would lead him to act like this' he admitted with regret. 'The website had this picture of him with his fifth grandchild, smiling away. He does _not_ look like an angry, vindictive man. What did you find out about the tiara?'

'The guy's been charged with theft and fencing stolen merchandise so the police must have evidence of his involvement in stealing the damn thing. Lydia wasn't able to talk to him so we still don't know if he acted alone.'

'What's your gut detector telling you? You think this is related to the other thefts?' Neal asked.

'I do' she replied. 'I'm convinced there's someone out there, pulling all the strings and I think whoever it is got blindsided this time — by someone who didn't want to play by their rules.'

Beatrice came running towards them with old Raffie trying his very best to keep up behind her.

'Look at this, Uncle Neal!' she said, excitement dancing in her eyes.

'Raffie, sit, sit' she said as the old boy did as he was told. Of course, he'd been heeding that command since he was a puppy but neither Neal nor Sara had the heart to burst her bubble.

'Down Raffie' she continued, in full command mode. Again, the dog fell to his stomach and looked up to the child for words of encouragement - and her next command.

'Now, roll over' she instructed. 'Roll over!'

Neal and Sara glanced at each other with skepticism. Hope and Liam had spent their youth trying to get the dog to roll over without success and had long ago given up on getting him to carry out such a feat. They watched with surprise as Raffie let himself fall on his back, all four paws up in the air as Bibi scratched his tummy as a reward.

'Wow!' Sara said with amazement. 'That's amazing, sweetie. How did you get him to do that?'

Bibi shrugged as if it was no big deal. 'Come on Raffie. Let's go practice some more' she called out as she took off running.

Neal shook his head in astonishment. 'She's incredible!' he said, stating the obvious.

He turned to face Sara, seeing the wheels turning as she ruminated about… he had no idea what.

'What is it?' he asked; it did no good to guess what might be going on in that brain of hers.

'I was just thinking about Hope, wondering if I should tell her that we know about her due date' she confessed.

Neal knew his wife all too well. 'As long as you soft pedal it and don't get upset or make it sound like an accusation' he warned.

'I would never…' she began before thinking better of it; he had a point and if she approached her daughter with an accusing tone, she wouldn't get anywhere. 'Right…' she finally said.

Neal's phone vibrated in his pocket and he reached in for it, showing the screen to Sara before taking the call.

'Peter' he said into the phone. 'How's the stakeout going?'

'Quiet' the ex-agent replied. 'I got a look at the woman but she looks nothing like the pictures from thirty years ago.'

'Can anybody claim they look like they did thirty years ago?' Neal replied wryly.

Sara glanced at him, checking him out. Except for a few wrinkles and some grey around his temples, Neal looked pretty well like the fine specimen of a man she'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

'Well, let's just say this lady has not aged well. She came out to get the mail and water her flowers but it's been pretty quiet since then. About ten minutes ago, a car drove up and a younger woman got out and went into the house.'

'What did she look like?' Neal asked.

'Pretty… mid-twenties' Peter responded. 'I'll send you a picture.'

'Okay. Well, why don't you call it a night. We can regroup tomorrow and figure out what we want to do from here… maybe pay the woman a visit.'

'All right. I'll talk to you tomorrow' Peter agreed.

Neal leaned back on the park bench, stretching his arm out behind Sara and running his hand languidly over her back as they watched the dogs running around; they caught a glimpse of Beatrice trying to entice Raffie into standing on his two hind legs. They wouldn't put it past her to get him to learn another new trick.

Neal's phone vibrated in his hand a second time as a new text message came in and he glanced down, staring with surprise at the photograph gracing his screen.

He turned the phone towards Sara. 'Look who just showed up at our suspect's house' he said as she let out a gasp.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

The house was unusually quiet when Rebecca stepped in, carrying an armful of groceries. Usually, her mom was busy in the kitchen at this hour but she was surprised to find Iris snoozing away in her lazy boy chair in the small living room, looking pale and more fragile than ever.

The more time passed, the more difficulty Rebecca was having keeping up her charade at Sterling Bosch. Sure, her boss was demanding and not the most patient guy in the world but during her short time with the company, she'd seen hints of a good man hidden underneath all the bluster. In another time and place, she might have actually found Winston Bosch to be charming. He certainly had his moments; like when he'd taken the time to find out from some of the other secretaries what her favourite flowers were and arranged for a large bouquet to be delivered on her birthday and at Christmastime when he'd insisted on her taking a day off to go shopping. Certainly, no one would think of using words like 'caring' or 'considerate' to describe the man but he certainly wasn't the heartless animal her mom had led her to believe.

She began to put away her purchases, mostly prepared food - her mom didn't do much cooking these days nor was she eating right. She'd just opened the cupboard to put away some canned goods when her heart skipped a beat at the sight of a gun sitting right next to the coffee mugs and dinner plates. She hadn't seen that thing in years - thought her mom had gotten rid of it ages ago - but there it was, staring back at her ominously. She examined it with her eyes, unwilling to even lay a finger on it; truth was, the thing terrified her and had done so ever since she was a little girl.

Her first random thought was that her mom might be thinking of ending it all - all the pain and suffering - but then an even more frightening idea took root. Could her mom be losing all perspective and thinking of carrying out an unspeakable, irreversible act?

'Hi honey' she heard her mom's sleepy voice call out from the doorway.

Rebecca turned to face her mother. 'Mom, what the hell is this thing doing here?'

WCWCWC

Sara woke, feeling strangely optimistic on Wednesday morning. Things were looking up on the work front, Emily was scheduled to arrive any day now and despite her own impending appointment and Hope's visit to Dr. White's office, she was feeling surprisingly confident that everything was going to work out fine. Of course, sharing her life with Mr. Optimism helped in that regard; Neal had always been able to make lemonade out of those nasty, bitter lemons life threw at him and, like it or not, his confidence and resilience had become contagious over time.

As she finished getting dressed, her eyes were drawn to a sheet of paper lying on the bedside table on Neal's side of the bed and she made her way over to investigate. She wasn't surprised to find a list of questions and concerns he planned to raise at her appointment with the cardiologist the next day. His list of queries included wait time for the procedure, recovery time, risks and side effects of the surgery, length of hospital stay and physical limitations or contraindications after surgery. He had jotted down the word 'flying' and had underlined it twice and he'd put an asterisk next to the word 'sex' with a question mark next to it. The list looked almost identical to the one she'd been carrying around in her purse for the last few days, scribbling thoughts as they came to her. There were so many unknowns when it came to what life had in store for her as she adapted to life as a heart patient.

She had finally given in and read the stack of documents Neal had printed out from the internet - information on the procedure itself, the risks involved, the expected outcomes and the particularities of living with a defibrillator implanted in your chest. As much as she loathed doctors and hospitals, she could see that the procedure itself was a routine intervention and that, it the end, the surgery would be beneficial to her overall health in a lot of ways - not the least of which was the fact she wouldn't be passing out at the drop of a hat anymore. Despite the nagging apprehensions, she was starting to come around to accepting her fate - as pissed off as she was about the timing of her predicament.

Neal walked in from the shower, dripping wet, and waited for the usual complaint about getting water all over the carpet - a reproach which, surprisingly, didn't materialize.

'I see you found my list of questions' he said, drying his hair with a towel.

'Yeah, looks almost identical to mine' she remarked as she set the piece of paper back where she'd found it.

Neal began rummaging through his chest of drawers on a mission to find underwear and socks. 'What time is Hope's appointment today?' he asked.

'Not until this afternoon at 2:00. Are you and Peter still planning on dropping in on Iris Hastings today?'

Neal nodded and proceeded to get dressed, letting the wet towel fall in a pile at his feet, another no-no Sara chose to ignore. 'We thought we'd tell her we're investigating some scam in her neighbourhood and try to get a sense of where her head is at' he explained.

'Don't you need credentials so she'll let you in the front door?' Sara asked.

Neal produced his fake ID from the Bureau just as he'd done with Peter, a sly smile on his lips.

'You still have that thing?' Sara said, glancing at the photograph of a much younger looking Neal. 'I thought Peter had confiscated it years ago.'

He shrugged and gave her a naughty smile. 'You know, I still can't believe I hadn't noticed Iris Hastings had the same last name as Bosch's assistant.'

' _You_ can't believe?' she echoed. 'What about me? I work there and I never clued in they had the same last name when you showed me the list of my boss' past indiscretions.'

Neal pulled out a photograph of a young Iris Hastings and stared at it. 'The resemblance with her daughter is pretty amazing… once you know' he commented. 'Although, Peter says she's barely recognizable these days.'

Sara sat on the edge of the bed, preparing to slip on her shoes. 'What do you suppose happened for her to become unhinged after all this time and decide to carry out such an elaborate plan?'

'Assuming she's the one behind it' Neal reminded her as Sara scoffed.

'Come on, Neal. There is _no_ way that Rebecca working in Mr. Bosch's office is a coincidence - not with everything that's happened.'

He zipped up his pants and grabbed for a clean shirt from the closet. 'It's a mystery, that's for sure. Peter says the house they live in is… modest, to say the least, so how is she bankrolling an operation like that?'

'If anybody can figure it out, you can' Sara said with a smile as Neal lifted up two ties and silently asked for her advice.

'The striped one' she said as she prepared to walk away.

Neal reached for her arm, holding her back momentarily. 'You sure you don't want me to drive you in to work?' he asked for the second time that morning.

'I'll be fine on the train. You just do your thing and I'll call you later and let you know how things went with Dr. White' she said with renewed confidence.

Neal held her gaze - and her arm - a little longer. Lately, he was uneasy about letting her out of his sight, worried he might get another phone call like the one he'd gotten from Will Allenby the previous weekend.

'I love you Repo' he declared, rather soberly, his hair hanging in his bright blue eyes.

But Sara was having none of the sentimental drivel; she needed to remain upbeat. She pressed her lips to his in a brief kiss and gave him a glowing smile.

'Later, Caffrey.'

WCWCWC

Hope hadn't been back to Bronx-Lebanon in three years; in fact, she never wanted to set foot in the institution again. She had spent five long months of her life there, five months too many… living under the watchful eye of nurses and doctors, separated from those she loved.

Luckily, her endless therapy sessions took place at a local community health clinic and she'd allowed the bad memories of the hospital to gently fade over the years. Unfortunately, Dr. Hiram White's office was located in the out-patient wing of said hospital and she'd been compelled to come face to face with the place once more. To make matters worse, her mom had called just as she was getting ready to leave to tell her she'd been held up at work and Hope had been forced to take a cab over, all by herself.

She took a seat in the waiting room and kept one eye on the long corridor, waiting for her mom to appear; she didn't think she could do this on her own or at very least, she didn't _want_ to. She spotted Sara coming towards her, carrying herself with her head held high, with all the confidence and fearlessness Hope had seen her exhibit her whole life. Her mom was a formidable woman, an amazing role model, strong, confident, perseverant… everything Hope aspired to be.

'Sorry, sweetie' Sara mumbled as she made her way over to sit next to her daughter. 'You been waiting long?'

'N-n-no' Hope replied hesitantly, wringing her hands.

Sara's hand was instantly on hers. 'Honey, it's going to be fine' she attempted. 'How are you feeling? How's the baby today?'

The mention of the little one seemed to calm Hope's nerves and she smiled tentatively. 'He's good. Moving around like crazy.'

As if on cue, the baby kicked and Hope took her mom's hand, placing it on her large belly. 'Whoa! He sure is one busy little guy!'

'Yeah, it's really cute…' Hope responded with an eye roll. '…especially when he does it in the middle of the night when I'm trying to sleep.'

Sara smiled at the recollection of her own pregnancies and that amazing feeling of life moving inside her. 'You know you were quite the little kicker yourself, as I recall. I would curl up in bed against Daddy's back and it would actually wake him up when you started to move around.'

Hope seemed to relax at the re-telling of the anecdote she'd heard dozens of times before; thank God for her loving parents and a wonderful husband like Cameron Armstrong.

'Hope Ellis-Caffrey!' they heard a woman's voice call out.

Sara gave her daughter a reassuring smile and helped her to her feet.

WCWCWC

The tension between Iris and her daughter had grown to unprecedented proportions following their confrontation the night before. Rebecca had been horrified to find a loaded firearm sitting there in the cupboard where the sugar bowl should have been and Iris had been compelled to explain why she'd pulled the thing out from the back of her bedroom closet. The two women had argued, Iris growing more desperate by the day now that her plan seemed to be unravelling before her very eyes.

Rebecca had tried to reason with her mom - as she'd done on so many occasions - but the woman seemed unable to recognize she was on the verge of losing it and Rebecca was running out of time to make her see the error of her ways. Now that Iris was talking about taking matters into her own hands by confronting the man who'd made her life miserable, Rebecca wondered if she should intervene to keep her from acting on her impulses. Would her mom really go so far as to confront Winston Bosch, brandishing a gun in her hands? All bets seemed to be off as her desperation grew.

Rebecca had waited for her mom to fall asleep and she'd returned to the kitchen, this time taking the firearm in her hands with disdain and studying it. If she disposed of it, her mom might go off the deep end so, as an interim measure, she'd proceeded to remove the ammunition as well as the almost full box that lay next to the gun. For the time being, that would keep things from escalating.

But Rebecca knew she had to do something more permanent… before it was too late.

WCWCWC

'S-s-o my brain activity is normal?' Hope repeated, making sure she'd heard correctly.

'Perfectly normal, Hope. There is no inflammation whatsoever and if anything, the lesions have continued to heal since the last scan we did three years ago.'

Sara could see tears of relief forming in her daughter's eyes. 'B-b-but I've been so anxious and m-m-my stuttering is… it's driving me nuts' she admitted, frustrated.

'Well, becoming a mom is a stressful time in your life' the kind doctor explained. 'I get the feeling you're putting a lot of pressure on yourself, am I right?'

Sara looked knowingly at the doctor as she continued to clasp Hope's hand in hers. 'Hope is still working part-time and she's really working hard to get the baby's room ready on time. She's also helping her best friend plan her wedding and helping with the preparations for the wedding renewal ceremony her dad and I are having next month.'

'Oh, you and Neal are renewing your wedding vows?' the doctor asked as Sara nodded.

He recalled the Caffrey family's personal struggles as Hope had climbed that steep hill towards recovery. He'd met with Hope's parents and her then fiancé on a weekly basis for months on end and he'd been aware that Neal had struggled with alcohol dependency in the aftermath of Hope's terrible accident. His heart had gone out to the close knit family; it was heartbreaking to watch families dealing with such devastating circumstances.

'That's wonderful' he replied. 'Hope, you really need to take better care of yourself. If you're trying to do all that, it's no wonder you're stressed and overtired; that would most definitely affect your speech patterns. I think you're forgetting just how far you've come in five short years, young lady' he said, his comments bordering on lecturing.

Hope nodded and wiped a tear that had escaped onto her cheek.

'You need to let the people around you pick up the slack. Your job is to concentrate on your baby and to get plenty of rest' he said.

Sara nodded, happy that someone, other than family members, was trying to make Hope see sense.

'By the way' Dr. White added 'Where's Cameron?'

'I d-d-didn't want to worry him' Hope admitted - although it sounded like a stupid idea to have kept him out of the loop now that she was finding out her fears were unfounded.

'Are you still seeing your speech therapist?' Dr. White asked as she nodded.

'Well, if you think it's helping, you should keep going but most importantly, you need to relax and your symptoms will start to recede… I promise' he explained patiently.

'That's what Heidi says' Hope admitted, recalling her speech therapist's words of wisdom.

Sara prepared to get to her feet. 'Thank you for seeing us, Dr. White' she said. 'We really appreciate it.'

'Yes, thank you' Hope added, her voice shaky.

'Hey, anytime' the man said, standing to walk them out. 'That's what I'm here for. Oh, and make sure you send me a picture of that little baby boy.'

'Will do' Hope said as she turned to look at him. She felt a surge of gratitude for his support as well as an overwhelming sense of relief and before she knew what hit her, she was hugging him enthusiastically as he smiled in response.

Sara watched and felt her heart skip a beat. Literally.

WCWCWC

Trust had always been a very fluid commodity between Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke, never more so than in the early years of their… collaboration. Back then, Neal was always playing _some_ angle and Peter knew better than to take _anything_ Neal did or said at face value. So, on this Wednesday afternoon, as they drove up to the Hastings home, Peter got an uneasy feeling of déjà vu when Neal offhandedly dismissed his apprehensions with a simple _'trust me, Peter'_ and a mischievous look in his eyes.

Upon arrival, Neal proceeded to pull out his bogus FBI badge, flashing it with confidence and explaining that he and his partner were doing the rounds, following up on a scam being perpetuated against senior citizens in the neighbourhood. Iris Hastings reluctantly let them in as Neal gave her one of his killer smiles and Peter followed his best friend into the house with a mental eye roll at just how easy things came to you when your name was Neal Caffrey.

'I really don't know what all this has to do with me' Iris Hastings said as she led the two strangers into her living room.

'Ma'am, these predators…' Neal said, taking a seat across from the older woman '…they won't hesitate to clean out your bank account if you're not careful. Have you had anyone come to the door and try to sell you anything recently? Maybe lawn care or a roof replacement?'

Iris Hastings' face grew serious at the thought of becoming a victim of such a scam. 'No… nothing that I can think of.'

Neal let his eyes roam around the small space, a modest little bungalow with little if anything at all of value. He was dying to snoop around the other rooms and see if he could find anything of interest and he cleared his throat as a means of diversion.

'Mrs. Hastings, could I trouble you for a glass of water?' he asked, feigning a coughing fit.

She stood, rather unsteadily and made her way to the kitchen while the two men exchanged knowing looks. Frankly, she, herself, looked like death warmed over. She was obviously not well, looking years older that the age on the driver's license they'd managed to get a copy of.

Neal took advantage of her brief absence to start snooping around the living room on the prowl for anything out of the ordinary. Peter glared at his partner, not nearly as confident as the ex-con when it came to intruding on other people's privacy.

Iris returned with a glass of water and started to cough roughly as she set it down in front of Neal.

'Are you all right, Mrs. Hastings?' Peter asked with genuine concern. That was no ordinary cough and it looked like she might keel over any minute.

She waved off his question and took a seat in the old lazy boy chair as they waited for her to fully recover from the violent coughing fit.

'Do you live alone, ma'am?' Neal asked, once she'd calmed down.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment. 'No' she finally said. 'I live with my daughter.'

Neal looked around the place, as if expecting said daughter to suddenly appear. 'And she works out of the home.'

'Yes, in Manhattan' Iris confirmed.

'Well, perhaps you could ask her to give you a hand with your online banking just to make sure your accounts are in order' Peter said. 'These predators will stop at nothing to take advantage of poor, defenceless individuals such as yourself.'

He suffered a brief flash of guilt, wondering if Iris Hastings might not need protecting from the two men who were presently scamming her for altogether other reasons and he had a fleeting thought for Jones back at the Federal Building who, unbeknownst to her, was doing his own digging into the woman's finances.

Neal got to his feet. 'Mrs. Hastings' he said with a blistering smile. 'I hate to trouble you but may I use your washroom?'

'Sure' she replied. 'It's just down the hall.'

Neal nodded and headed down the short hall, past the kitchen and two bedrooms. He could hear Peter's deep voice fading in the distance as he got further away, and he took a moment to glance into each of the rooms, not quite certain what it was he was looking for.

What he assumed to be Rebecca Hastings' bedroom was tidy and clean, the bed was made and a laptop sat on a small desk. He wished he had unlimited time to check things out - he'd love to see if there was anything incriminating on that computer. Instead, he continued his search, peeking into the second bedroom which was the antithesis of the first: disorganized, with dirty clothes on the floor, books strewn around all over the place and an unmade bed. He doubled back and slipped into the kitchen as Peter watched him from the other room with horror, trying desperately to keep the woman from turning around to find Neal snooping around her things.

Neal began to poke around the kitchen, noticing a stack of papers and another laptop on the kitchen table. Again, he wished he had more time but he did what he could with the limited amount of time at his disposal, glancing through some of the documents lying on the table before he heard Peter cough and get to his feet, surely a sign that he had run out of time.

Neal sauntered back towards the bathroom and pulled the chain on the toilet before reappearing in the living room, looking as innocent as a lamb. No matter how long he'd known his best friend, Peter would never understand how Neal managed to look so trustworthy and virtuous when he was anything but.

'Thank you, Mrs. Hastings' Peter said as Neal rejoined them.

The older woman looked from one man to the other, seemingly eager to see the back of them; it wouldn't do to set off alarm bells before all their ducks were in a row and the two of them exchanged looks as they prepared to leave.

'If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call our offices' Neal said as he pulled out a business card and handed it to the woman.

'This is the number for one of my agents, Clinton Jones' he added with an over-the-top smile.

Peter's eyes grew in surprise at Neal's brazenness - although, after all this time, it came as no surprise that the ex-con would literally pull something like a business card out of thin air in order to give them the legitimacy they needed for their little covert operation. Making himself out to be Clinton Jones' superior… well, that was just icing on the cake.

The two men thanked Iris Hastings and stepped out into the bright sunshine.

As they made their way to the car, Neal heard Peter mutter something he could have sworn sounded vaguely like '…one of _my_ agents, my ass!'

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The wonderful aroma of arabica beans filled the air as Neal proceeded to cut up some lemon squares from the still warm pan on the kitchen counter.

'Well, that's reassuring to hear' he said, glancing at his wife. 'So the stuttering is…'

'Basically, Dr. White says it's just anxiety from the pregnancy, nothing to do with her brain injury' Sara replied, reaching around him to grab some mugs from the kitchen cupboard. 'He said her lesions have continued to heal nicely since the last scan she had three years ago.'

'That's great news' Neal said, sounding reassured.

There was silence for a moment before he spoke again. 'So, did you ask her? About her due date?'

Sara let her eyes linger on his face for a moment before replying. 'No' she admitted with regret. 'I… I wasn't sure what to say. And I kept hoping she'd bring it up and I wouldn't have to ask her.'

'We're going to have to figure that out sooner or later' Neal insisted, taking out a tray and placing the plate of squares onto it.

They could hear soft laughter floating in from the back yard and they both turned simultaneously to glance at the young couple sitting out there, chatting.

'You have to admit, they _do_ look awfully cute together' Sara declared with a smile.

'Goodbye Ben…' Neal said in jest.

'I guess… What do you suppose they're talking about?' she asked, continuing to stare.

Neal raised his eyebrows in response. 'What any self-respecting young couple talks about in the awkward first stage of a relationship - _anything_ to keep the conversation going.'

'I don't remember _us_ ever going through an awkward stage' Sara commented as she reached into the refrigerator for some cream.

'That's 'cause all we did in the beginning was argue' Neal reminded her.

'We did not!' she replied without missing a beat.

'And… I rest my case' Neal teased as he leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose.

'So tell me, what was your take on Iris Hastings?' Sara asked.

Neal let out a sigh. 'Well, she's one messed up lady. That list of stolen stuff I found on her kitchen table is awfully incriminating. We're just waiting on her financial records; Jones is looking into it for us.'

'Wow… so, Rebecca Hastings might be Winston Bosch's daughter?' she asked, incredulous.

'It's looking like that might be the case' Neal replied. 'But we have to be smart about what we do next. Iris Hastings looks like a loose cannon and when she finds out one of the items from the list has been recovered, there's no telling how she'll react. Did you find out who might have delivered that letter to your boss?'

'I checked the security log and no one came up to the 38th floor before Rebecca Hastings got in that morning' Sara reported.

'So she's lying…' Neal said as Sara shrugged in response. 'If her mother _is_ the culprit, Rebecca is likely an accomplice and she probably brought the letter in herself.'

He placed the mugs on the tray alongside the cream and sugar and turned to look at his wife. 'Maybe that's our way in' he mused. '… through the daughter. She looks to me like she'd be easier to lean on than the mother.'

Sara's attention was drawn to the backyard as another flutter of nervous giggles was heard in the distance. Neal picked up the tray and was preparing to take it out to the deck when the patio door opened and Caitlin popped her head inside.

'Will and I are going to take Raffie out for a walk' she announced, reaching for the dog's leash.

'Okay' Sara said. 'We'll save you some dessert for when you get back.'

Will Allenby appeared, peering over Caitlin's shoulder and looking from Neal to Sara apprehensively. He hadn't expected to stay for dinner but once the Caffreys had found the two of them chatting away upon their arrival, they'd insisted he stay and join them for dinner. The two of them had been making goo-goo eyes at each other ever since.

'Have a nice walk' Neal called out over his shoulder as Will and Caitlin disappeared out the front door with Raffie in tow.

Neal glanced over at his wife and wagged his eyebrows once more. 'At least they have a chaperone' he said.

WCWCWC

'Yeah, that would work. My last exam is early on Friday morning' Caitlin said as she and Will settled on a bench in the dog park.

They both watched with interest as Raffie began to frolic with his doggie pals - as much as a thirteen-year-old dog could frolic.

'We could leave by noon' Will said, turning to face the young woman. '… if you can be ready by noon, that is. That way, maybe we'll have time to see Liam before his game.'

Caitlin nodded enthusiastically; spending four hours confined in a car with Will Allenby might be just the thing to help untangle the web of emotions she'd been feeling lately - about him… and about Ben Hartley.

'So, who else is coming with us?' Caitlin asked, glancing at Will. How come she'd never noticed how beautiful his eyes were up until now?

'Well, Jake and Renée are going up for the weekend but they want to drive up separately so they can stay and visit Renée's aunt for a few days and Mark's going to hitch a ride with them' Will explained. 'He might drive back with us though… if that's okay.'

Caitlin giggled at what she perceived to be nerves on Will's part. 'Whatever you want… it's… it's really fine with me. Thanks for inviting me to come along, by the way. I've been wanting to make it to one of Liam's games for a while now.'

'Well, unfortunately, this might be the last one, unless Syracuse pulls a rabbit out of a hat' Will commented, making mindless chatter about, of all things, basketball, something Caitlin had to admit she knew little about and had limited interest in.

He felt a knot in his stomach as Caitlin smiled coyly at him, her bright blue eyes full of mischief. Except for his ex-girlfriend, Will hadn't had much experience with women. Being alone with the pretty blond he considered Liam's sister had him rattled - in the best possible way, a strange combination of excitement and nervous trepidation.

Caitlin watched as Will's face began to relax and he smiled back at her tentatively. She had to admit it _would_ be nice to see Liam again and this was a chance to figure out what those pesky butterflies in her stomach were all about before things became too serious with Ben.

'So your boyfriend won't mind if you come?' Will asked, fishing for information.

'Oh, Ben's not my boyfriend' Caitlin was quick to reply. 'He's just… we've been on a few dates, that's all…'

'Oh, okay. Well, as long as I don't come between the two of you' Will murmured awkwardly.

'There is no 'two of us' Will, don't worry about it' Caitlin said, noticing Will blushing somewhat.

Caitlin's nervous gaze moved to check on Raffie who was busy sniffing the butt of another large golden retriever; her tone of voice immediately morphed from soft and lyrical to loud and directive.

'Raffie!' she shouted. 'Get your face out of there!'

Will chuckled at the sudden outburst and shook his head; what in heavens name was he getting himself into?

WCWCWC

The faint hum of the television set greeted Neal as he stepped off the stairs in the dark of night. He followed the noise to the family room as it grew louder, a canned laugh track filling the air. He'd woken to the muted sounds, surprised to find Sara's side of the bed cold and empty - well not surprised, exactly, considering her obvious apprehension regarding her appointment with the cardiologist which was less than six hours away.

'Awww, honey… you didn't!' he groaned as he spotted his wife sitting on the couch, surrounded by food wrappers. She was holding a bag of Oreo cookies in one hand, a half full glass of milk in the other and there was an empty bag of chips and a half empty bottle of pop on the coffee table in front of her as well as some candy wrappers.

He took a few steps towards her and watched as she defiantly dunked a cookie in her glass of milk and stuffed the whole thing in her mouth.

Sara was hyper-disciplined when it came to food, had been most of her life. Back when her sister had disappeared and later, when things were spiralling out of control following the sudden death of her parents, she had learned that her food intake was one of the few things in her life she could control and she'd been somewhat obsessive about it since before Neal had even met her. Although she enjoyed a good meal and indulged in the occasional dessert, Sara was meticulous about maintaining control - which by all appearances, she'd totally lost in this case, sitting in the middle of their family room in the dead of night.

Neal knew that on those few occasions when she let loose and binged, she always ended up feeling terrible both physically and emotionally; it meant that her stress level had gotten so high, she'd been unable to control something as benign as how much food she'd ingested. He'd witnessed the phenomena on about a half dozen occasions over their twenty-five years of marriage and he knew he'd be picking up the pieces before it was all over.

'Babe, you know you're going to feel horrible in the morning' he said, taking the spot next to her on the couch.

She swallowed the cookie and chased it with a sip of milk. 'It's _already_ morning…' she replied with a pout.

Neal sat back and brought his arm around her back, feeling her body tense in reaction to his gentle touch. Timing was key if he wanted to placate her and his timing was definitely off; he decided to sit back and wait for her to come around instead.

'I don't _want_ things to change, Neal…' Sara finally grumbled defiantly as she offered him a cookie.

He took one and nibbled at it, studying her eyes - anger and fear all wrapped into one woeful, terrified look.

'Who says things are going to change?' he offered.

She gave him a death stare. ' _Everything's_ going to change, Neal.'

'Hyperbolize much?' Neal said, in an attempt to deescalate the situation and get her to relax.

She scoffed and smiled despite herself.

Bingo, he thought; he'd found the chink in her armour.

'Babe, this is just a temporary situation. Once they fix the problem, you'll be able to do pretty well everything you're doing now' he reassured her.

Sara continued to pout, obviously not done with the pity party at which she was the lone guest. 'Except… walk through x-ray machines at the airport… and operate industrial welders… and electrical generators…'

Neal chuckled. 'Yeah, you're right… that'll put a real crimp in our lifestyle, right there' he teased as she finally cracked a genuine smile.

She seemed to relax a little and she set down the glass of milk and settled in closer to Neal, his arm instantly reaching out to caress her shoulder.

'Look, I know you're scared' he murmured softly. 'I'm scared too. I wish you didn't have to go through this but, honey, we've been through a lot worse. At least, there's a fix for this and once we get through the next little while, it'll all fade in the background of our lives. And when you and I are sitting at that little café in the Champs Élysées, this will all be forgotten.'

She looked up at him, still pouting. 'Promise?' she asked, like a child asking for some impossible assurance.

'I do, I promise' he replied without hesitation.

'My stomach hurts' she moaned, not surprisingly.

He scoffed. 'No kidding! I bought those cookies just two days ago… for Caitlin' he said, peering into the bag and noticing one lone Oreo left.

'Will you help me up the stairs?' she asked, rubbing her belly.

'I'll _carry_ you upstairs if you need me to' he replied with a playful grin.

Sara forced herself to get to her feet and put out her hand for her husband, smiling at him. 'Yeah? No… I don't think you want to do that… maybe before the cookies.'

Neal stood and wrapped his arms around his wife. He held her tightly, his lips moving to murmur in her ear. 'Remember how scared we were when you got your cancer diagnosis… and how hard things got after I was shot' he recalled, his look faraway.

He seemed to snap back to the present and he brought his gaze back to Sara's face, running his hand though her hair. 'We can get through _anything_ if we stick together. Anything at all.'

'You're right' Sara conceded with a shrug.

They watched as Raffie sniffed at the open package of cookies and snapped up the last one without even bothering to ask for permission.

Arm in arm, they headed back towards the stairs.

'Why didn't you come down _before_ I demolished that whole bag of cookies?' Sara moaned as she held on to Neal for support.

WCWCWC

Cardiology was one helluva lucrative specialty if the offices of Doctor Jerold Hines were any indication. The doctor's office was located in a very fancy tower in Manhattan, not terribly far from Sterling Bosch, where leather and rich oak were on display throughout the plush waiting area. Neal and Sara settled together on an off-white leather love seat and let their eyes roam around the waiting room at the three other people waiting with them - all men over seventy years of age by all appearances.

Neal picked up a magazine - the latest copy of Vanity Fair - and began perusing it, trying to get Sara interested in an article about a new gallery opening up in the Chelsea District. She did her best to look like she gave a damn but he knew better and he finally gave up, setting the magazine aside and reaching for her hand instead. She let him but didn't bother to look at him, wanting no more than to feel her trembling hand in his strong, reassuring grasp.

At exactly 9:59, Sara's name was called and she and Neal were ushered inside, walking past what looked to be a handful of examination rooms and into an office with a large oak desk and an impressive collection of certificates and diplomas hanging on the wall. The ceiling was high enough to accommodate a small winding staircase that led to a large bookcase filled with textbooks that had probably not been opened in years.

Two dark brown leather chairs faced the desk and Neal and Sara were invited to take a seat and wait for the doctor, whose arrival, they were assured, was imminent.

It took but a moment for a skinny little man to appear from another door neither of them had even noticed - ostensibly leading to the examination rooms.

'Ms Ellis' he said, his voice booming, his personality seemingly much larger than his physique. 'I'm Jerold Hines.'

Sara smiled politely and the man reached around the desk to shake Neal's hand vigorously. 'You must be Mr. Caffrey' he said as Neal stood momentarily and nodded.

The doctor walked around his desk and took place in a huge leather chair that further dwarfed him. 'Joanne told me all about your situation and she made me promise to take extra good care of you.'

To qualify Dr. Joanne Cooper as a 'friend' was a bit of a stretch but she was certainly more than just Sara's GP and OB/GYN; she was someone in whom Sara had confided over the years, someone who'd seen the Caffrey family through a lot of hard times.

The doctor opened the file that already sat on his desk and he glanced down at what appeared to be test results, at least from Neal's vantage point.

'I got the results of your EKG and your echocardiogram from White Plains General. I'm sure the doctors there explained that you suffer from both bradycardia and tachycardia.'

Sara nodded as she recognized the two medical terms which, up until a week before, she'd never even heard of.

'There _is_ good news, however. Your heart muscle itself is strong and in good shape, it's just that from time to time it loses its rhythm and starts to beat too fast or too slow. I understand you've been feeling light-headed lately' Dr. Hines added.

Sara stared ahead, speechless, likely trying to take in what the doctor was saying.

'Sara passed out on three separate occasions over the past few months' Neal volunteered in the absence of an answer from his better half.

'Unfortunately, that's an all too common symptom with this condition' Dr. Hines said. 'How have you been feeling since you were in the ER? Have you had any more episodes of light-headedness?'

'The other night, I was afraid I might pass out when I got out of the tub but… I didn't' she admitted as Neal gaped in surprise; although he'd been doting on her, she'd been circumspect and he hadn't been aware of the episode she'd just described.

'Well, a pacemaker will stabilize your heart rhythm and fix you right up' the doctor said, reaching for some papers off to the side. 'You are an excellent candidate for the procedure and you'll see, you'll have a lot more energy after we're done implanting the device.'

Sara had always been a very energetic person and although she had slowed the pace somewhat over the years, Neal couldn't fathom her with even _more_ energy.

'More energy?' Neal said with a smile, hoping to bring down the tension.

'Yes' the doctor said, sensing an opening for one of his old standby jokes. 'Your wife will be chasing you around the bedroom again in no time.'

The attempt at humour seemed to go right over Sara's head as questions kept buzzing around in her head. 'What… how large is this… thing?' she asked tentatively.

There was instantly a diagram in front of her eyes as the doctor proceeded to describe the size of the pacemaker and the area in her chest where it would ultimately be implanted. Neal could see the colour draining from Sara's face as she stared back in silence.

'It's so… big' she whispered breathlessly.

'It might seem big but once it's implanted you'll all but forget it's even there' the doctor argued.

'Where exactly do you… implant it?' Neal asked.

Dr. Hines stood and walked around the desk once more, bringing his finger to rest above Sara's left breastbone. 'We'll make an incision right about here.'

'How… long of an incision?' she asked breathlessly.

'Approximately two inches' he replied.

'Two inches!?' Sara repeated, looking horrified.

Neal whipped out the piece of paper with the list of questions from his pants pocket and proceeded to take advantage of having the specialist at their disposal.

'How long will Sara have to wait for… the procedure?' he asked.

'Considering the fact that she's had some fainting spells and that Joanne is calling in a favour…' the man said with a smile. '…we could probably do it as early as next week.'

'Next week!' Sara said, her mouth dropping open. 'But…'

'I'm sorry, I was under the impression there was some urgency. Joanne mentioned something about you having a special occasion and she said you were eager to get this over and done with' Dr. Hines said, looking at both Neal and Sara.

'We… we're getting married in a few weeks' Neal began, noticing a look of surprise on the other man's face. 'We're renewing our wedding vows and we're having a big party and we were hoping Sara would be… back on her feet by then.'

'Well, there's no reason to think she won't be' the doctor asserted with authority.

'And we've planned a trip to Europe for the following week. Will Sara be able to fly by then?'

Neal was totally unprepared for the answer. Dr. Hines leaned in and winked at the two of them before answering. 'I don't know…' he said with a twinkle in his eye. 'Was she able to fly before?'

Neal relaxed and chuckled at the bad joke; the guy was just trying to help them relax, after all.

'Flying is absolutely all right' Dr. Hines said, more seriously this time. 'There are some precautions to take with airline security but in the absence of unforeseen side effects, there shouldn't be a problem.'

Neal smiled and relaxed for the first time since they'd entered the doctor's office. 'See, honey' he said, squeezing her hand. 'That's great news.'

Sara was looking shell-shocked as the questions and answers flew right over her head; she was glad Neal was there to take it all in.

'If all goes well, you should be back to your usual activities within a week after surgery' the man explained.

'How long will Sara have to stay in hospital?' Neal asked.

'Patients usually spend one night in hospital so we can monitor them but otherwise' he said, addressing Sara 'you can pretty well carry on with your life with very few restrictions.

'Are there things I _won't_ be able to do?' Sara asked cryptically.

Again, the doctor couldn't resist. 'Probably most of the things you couldn't do before the operation' he ventured with a chuckle.

Seeing Sara's unblinking eyes, he continued. 'Ms Ellis, any kind of surgery is worrisome but I want to reassure you that this type of procedure is carried out dozens of times a day and you'll feel much better when it's done. You'll resume most of the activities from before without any problems.'

Neal and Sara exchanged knowing looks; Neal knew Sara was wondering about sex in particular and one of them was going to have to bring it up if they wanted reassurances. Neal opened his mouth to speak just as Dr. Hines spoke.

'One of the things couples often worry about is sex' he said as Neal relaxed. 'I want to reassure you, having sex is fine. You might not want to swing from the chandeliers on your first week, but you can resume your regular sex life within a couple of weeks, once your incision has healed.'

Sara swallowed hard; fear gripping her as she thought ahead to the coming days and weeks.

'What do you say? Shall we book a date for the procedure?' the doctor asked.

WCWCWC

'Are you sure you want to make the detour to Brooklyn. We can go straight home if you're too tired' Neal said, reaching out for Sara's hand and caressing her knuckles gently.

'No, I'm fine' she mumbled. 'I want to find out what's going on with Iris Hastings and besides, El said she made lunch for us.'

'Okay' Neal murmured, pointing the car towards Casa Burke. 'Maybe if you're up to it, we can drop in on Hope after lunch… better yet, we can pick her up and bring her home for dinner. I hear Cameron's working late at the gallery tonight.'

'Yeah…' Sara replied with a forced smile. 'That sounds good, honey.'

Neal could tell by the curt answers that Sara was still processing all the information they'd heard back in the doctor's office. They'd walked out of his clinic with even more literature to read and a firm date for her surgery and until that time, Neal was determined, more than ever, to keep a close eye on his wife.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Having people in her corner was something Sara Ellis had never found all that important in her younger days. She'd been in her early twenties when her parents passed away, just barely out of university and beginning an exciting career as a badass insurance investigator. She didn't need anyone or anything and she sure as hell couldn't be bothered having to worry about anyone else but herself. Of course, it didn't help that the insurance world in which she was gainfully employed was so vicious and cutthroat; after a while, Sara's view of the world had become imbued with cynicism and distrust as she focussed solely on making a name for herself.

The notion that someone could be kind and helpful for no other reason than to simply _be_ kind and helpful had been a very foreign notion indeed… up until the day Sara met kindly Elizabeth Burke and her straight as an arrow husband, FBI Special Agent Peter Burke. At first, Sara couldn't fathom why the Burkes would welcome her - let alone a known felon like Neal Caffrey - into their home and into their lives. Surely, they must have an angle in doing so. Their steadfast support of Peter's CI, even when he continued to mess up time and time again, left her gobsmacked and like a moth drawn to a flame, she'd developed a morbid curiosity regarding the relationship between Neal and Peter, two men who seemingly couldn't be more different.

But, with time, Sara had mellowed and she'd learned to open up and let others in. She had discovered, to her surprise, that Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey were not as diametrically opposed as she'd first thought and that both men were fiercely loyal and devoted to those they loved. She'd watched with interest as the two of them had developed an enduring bond and how, through the years, they began to lean on each other for friendship and support.

Now, years later, the Burkes remained their most steadfast friends; they had supported the Caffreys through thick and thin and Sara hoped she had become the kind of friend and confidante to Elizabeth Burke that the woman had always been to her. This latest crisis was no exception and El had been the first person Sara had confided in - after Neal, of course - when she'd begun to feel her world coming apart. Despite the uncertainty facing her when it came to the coming days and weeks, Sara felt safe and secure in the presence of the Burkes, a feeling akin to being nestled in a warm, feather duvet on a cold winter's night.

She felt Elizabeth's warm hand on her arm and looked up at her best friend's loving face.

'Honey, are you okay? You've barely touched your lunch' El commented. 'I thought you loved avocado salad.'

Sara looked furtively at her husband before answering; with what she'd ingested over the past twelve hours, it would be a miracle if she ate again before the weekend.

'I do… it's delicious, El. Sorry, I guess I don't have much of an appetite' Sara said sheepishly.

Elizabeth looked from Neal to Peter; it wasn't surprising her best friend didn't feel like eating following the news she'd just heard from the cardiologist. Sara was about to embark on a very scary adventure and she needed all the support she could get, something Elizabeth Burke was determined to provide.

'I made one of your favourites for dessert: caramel pecan crunch ice cream' El said, hoping to bring Sara some semblance of comfort.

Sara forced herself to smile. 'Maybe later…' she replied quietly.

Peter's phone vibrated and he picked it up, stepping away from the table to take the call. Neal's eyes followed him into the living room, studying his face; hopefully, this was the call they'd been waiting for.

'When does Emily get here?' El asked.

'Tomorrow, at around dinner time, I think' Sara replied with a smile; thinking of her beloved sister did that to her every time.

'Good, I have us booked at a couple of places on Saturday' Elizabeth enthused. 'And one of them has that dress you really wanted. They've set it aside for you.'

Sara tried to look excited; suddenly she wasn't sure about anything relating to the ceremony, least of all the dress she'd been drooling over. If she was going go be sporting a large scar or a bandage, maybe she needed to rethink her choice of outfit for the ceremony.

'Yeah, I don't know El…' she said as Neal studied her face. 'I'm not sure that's the right dress for me, after all.'

'Why not?' Neal piped up. 'I thought you were really excited about that dress - not that she's let me see it' he added as he glanced over at Elizabeth.

Sara's face grew dark. 'It might be a little too… low cut for me.'

Neal let out a sigh as he realized what she really meant. 'Honey, you should wear what you want and not worry about anything else. Anyway, you're going to look beautiful, no matter what you wear.'

'I'll find something' Sara said as Peter returned to the table, looking pleased with himself.

'That was Jones' he said, interrupting and taking his seat next to El. 'Guess who came into a lot of money about two years ago?'

'You're kidding!' Neal exclaimed, looking at his wife. 'That's the missing link we've been waiting for. How much are we talking about?'

'One point eight million dollars!' Peter enunciated as Neal let out a whistle.

'That's not chump change' Neal remarked.

'Certainly enough to hire a few people to pull some jobs' Sara said. 'So, I guess Iris Hastings has both motive _and_ the means to carry this out.'

'And to top it all off, she's as loony as a coot' Peter added with an eyebrow wag.

'So, how do you expose her?' Elizabeth asked.

'Well, it's all still circumstantial, if not overwhelmingly so' Peter warned. 'We can't have her arrested for theft but maybe we can follow the money trail and see where it leads, who's she's paid off.'

'I think our best bet is to confront her' Sara opined. 'Otherwise, we're looking at a long, drawn-out process and the damage to the company and to Mr. Bosch is almost irreversible as it is.'

Neal looked from Peter to Sara. 'Sara and I were talking and I'm thinking we might have better luck with the daughter, leveraging her to get to her mom. Call it intuition but I have a feeling Rebecca's been dragged into this whole mess against her will. She might welcome an out for herself and for her mother.'

'I agree with Neal' Sara said. 'Maybe we can meet with her and tell her what we know, see if she'll help us put an end to this nightmare.'

'Would she turn on her mom, though?' Elizabeth asked. As the outsider, she could always be counted on to raise those common sense questions.

'It's risky…' Neal admitted. 'But maybe we can convince her that they'll go easy on Iris if she cooperates. The woman is on her last legs as it is and there _are_ extenuating circumstances. If she arranges to return everything, maybe Winston Bosch would agree not to press charges.'

Peter nodded. 'I think you might be right, the daughter is the way to go but once we talk to her, we'll be exposed and if her mom _does_ go off the deep end, there's no telling what she'll do.'

'Peter, she's a sick, old lady' Neal said. 'I don't think she's much of a threat to any of us.'

Peter looked seriously at them; obviously there was a piece of the puzzle he'd yet to share.

'There's something else' he finally said. 'Jones found out Iris Hastings is a gun owner. She bought it years ago and as far as we know, she still has it.'

Sara looked at the two men with a frown. 'Surely, you don't think she'd stoop to violence.'

'You didn't see her, honey. She's pretty unhinged' Neal replied as Peter nodded.

'All right, then' Peter said. 'We need to talk this through.'

WCWCWC

Secrets could only be kept for so long before they became an unbearable burden - this, Neal Caffrey had learned the hard way. He and Sara had discussed telling the kids about her condition and they'd agreed the time had come to let Hope, Liam and Caitlin know that she would be going under the knife in less than a week.

'This way, we can better control the narrative _'_ Neal had said as they'd driven over to Hope and Cam's place.

He was right; in a few short days, Sara would be hospitalized and it would be virtually impossible to hide that fact from their kids. She would be sporting a visible scar and would need some recovery time so there was no point in keeping them in the dark any longer. Better to explain the situation to their offspring and make sure any and all of their questions were answered before the surgery even took place.

So, with that in mind, the couple prepared to sit down with both Caitlin and Hope over dinner to spill the beans and follow it up with a phone call to Syracuse to bring Liam up to speed on is mom's situation.

Neal pulled up in front of the small building in the quiet neighbourhood and Sara insisted on going in with him; he had finally finished painting the mural in the baby's room and despite the play by play he'd given her each time he'd come home from working on it, she had yet to see it completely finished.

They knocked on the door, pleasantly surprised to find that Hope had taken their advice and had been resting. She had finally agreed to cut down on her hours at the gallery and she was taking advantage of some down time to finish getting the baby's room ready and to start cocooning as she and Cam prepared for their baby boy's arrival.

'Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?' Hope asked when she finally opened the door, her hair haphazardly piled up on the top of her head and her eyes small with sleep.

'Hi sweetie' Sara replied, stepping into the small apartment and hugging her daughter. 'We didn't mean to wake you, we were just over at Uncle Peter's place and we thought we'd drop in.'

Hope looked a little confused. 'This is a nice surprise' Hope said with a yawn, reaching out to hug her dad. 'Come on in.'

'I'm glad to see you're taking Dr. White's advice and getting some rest' Neal said as Hope looked crosseyed at her mom.

'Yes, Mom told me all about your appointment' he admitted. 'You should know better than to tell just one of us anything.'

'I just didn't want you to worry' Hope said, leading them into the small living room.

There were piles of baby clothes on the coffee table, perfectly folded and Sara grabbed the first thing on top, a pair of tiny overalls in soft brown corduroy. 'Awww, this is beautiful. Who gave you this?'

'Olivia' Hope said with a grin. 'I'm starting to have so much stuff… and she still wants to have that baby shower for me next week.'

'Of course' Sara said. 'You can never have enough baby clothes… and you'll see, he'll be outgrowing stuff every other week.'

Neal had disappeared into the bedroom and the two women followed suit, Sara gasping as she entered the room and got a glimpse of the gorgeous mural Neal had been steadfastly working on for the past several weeks.

'Oh, my God! It's gorgeous, Neal' she raved. 'I had no idea it was going to be so… beautiful.'

She flashed back to twenty-five years earlier, on that cold winter morning when Neal had revealed the mural he'd painted for Hope in the loft at June's. This one was totally different although Neal's unique style and use of colours was evident in his latest masterpiece.

'I… I love this' Sara said as she pointed to Christopher Robin peeking out from some thick bushes. 'And those… purple flowers…'

'Lavender' Neal corrected snidely with an eyebrow wag.

'It's lovely' she said as Hope looked on with a wide smile, lacing her arm in Neal's.

'Cam and I are so lucky you took the time to do this, Dad' she said.

Neal looked on with a satisfied grin; it had been hours in the making but he was proud of the result. 'Believe me, sweet pea, I was more than happy to do it.'

'Those birds…' Sara mused, still studying the huge piece of art. 'They're spectacular.'

Hope chuckled as she recalled the conversation she and Neal had had about including colourful birds - inspired by her distant memory of a conversation they'd had when she was just a little girl.

'Hope coached me through those, didn't you, sweet pea?' Neal said, reaching to grab some sketches from the nearby dresser.

Sara's eyes moved to the small drawings. 'You did these, honey?' she asked her daughter.

Hope had been drawing and painting constantly since her accident, her confidence slowly returning and these illustrations of colourful birds were stunning, the most complex stuff Sara had seen her do in a very long time.

'I was inspired by that story Daddy told me a long time ago about how birds got their colours. Remember, Mom?' Hope asked.

Sara's eyes narrowed as the distant memory came flooding back.

 _The three of them lay in a grassy clearing after hiking through Saxon Woods Park. They had just finished a picnic lunch of cheese and cucumber sandwiches and cool, refreshing watermelon when Hope excitedly pointed to a beautiful flock of yellow birds which had just passed before her eyes._

 _'_ _Those are finches' Sara said with authority._

 _'_ _And look, honey, there's a blue jay' Neal pointed out on a nearby branch._

 _'_ _He's blue!' Hope shouted with glee._

 _'_ _He_ is _blue and cardinals are red and finches are golden yellow' Neal replied._

 _'_ _Why do birds all have different colours?' Hope asked, not surprisingly._

 _As an inquisitive three-year-old, 'why' seemed to be the most frequently asked question in her vocabulary. She wanted to know everything about the world - from why the sky was blue to why there were laces on her shoes._

 _Sara glanced over at her husband, lying on his stomach beside her, eager to see what he would answer - and secretly pleased that the question hadn't been posed to her._

 _'_ _Well…' Neal began after the briefest of pauses. '… a long time ago, all the birds in the world were grey.'_

 _Sara watched with interest as Hope frowned in response. 'Grey?' the child repeated, puzzled._

 _'_ _Every bird in the whole wide world was the same colour' Neal continued. 'And then one day, there was a huge rainstorm and all the birds flocked to hide in the branches of the trees to keep from getting wet. The rain came down in buckets….'_

 _Hope turned to look at her dad. 'Buckets?' she repeated, confused._

 _'_ _It's just an expression, honey' Sara chimed in. 'It means when rain is falling really, really hard, it's as if buckets of water are coming down.'_

 _'_ _That's right' Neal continued. 'And it rained for a long, long time and the birds began to get wet even though they were hiding in the trees. Finally, the rain stopped and the birds began to chirp again, peeking out from their hiding place to look at the sun.'_

 _Hope listened intently, her bright blue eyes open wide as she listened to the magical story._

 _'_ _Off in the distance, they could see a rainbow… a big, double rainbow that covered the whoooole sky.'_

 _'_ _Like the one at Uncle Peter's house?' Hope asked, recalling the rainbow that had appeared the previous week when they'd been visiting during a thunderstorm._

 _'_ _Even prettier than that one' Neal explained. 'Well, the birds had never seen such a beautiful sight and they flew over to get a better look at the pretty colours in the sky. That's when the magic happened…' he added, pausing for dramatic effect._

 _Sara studied her husband; she was reasonably sure he was making the story up, on the fly. She was always amazed at his limitless imagination and the way in which he explained things to their daughter using simple, yet captivating language._

 _Hope sat up and turned to face her dad. 'What magic?' she finally said, rather predictably._

 _Neal's eyes twinkled as he continued with the story. 'That's when all the beautiful colours of the rainbow began to sprinkle down onto the birds that were flying nearby, covering them in all different colours. Some were covered in yellow, others in blue, in red, in purple, in green. And all the birds began to chirp happily as they were enveloped in the amazing colours that had fallen from the sky.'_

 _Hope's eyes grew even more at the thought; she'd always thought birds were pretty but now that she knew how they had gotten their colours, she realized that they were magical._

 _Neal turned his head, winking at his wife who smiled back, captivated by the story he'd just told_.

'Oh, my God, I'd completely forgotten about that. You were obsessed with rainbows for the longest time after Daddy told you that story' Sara said.

'I remember arguing with my kindergarten teacher about it when she tried to correct me in front of the whole class' Hope said with a grin. 'Anyway, I never forgot the story and I wanted the baby to be surrounded by those magical birds.'

Neal brought his arm around his daughter's shoulder and squeezed. 'When the time comes, I'll be glad to tell him that story… maybe it'll become Caffrey folklore' Neal chuckled.

Hope nodded, totally relaxed. 'So, what brings you out here, anyway?' she asked.

'We've come to whisk you away and bring you out to White Plains for dinner' Neal said. 'And, as a bonus, I'm prepared to make anything you want for dinner.'

'Anything I want?' Hope repeated, rubbing her protruding belly.

Sara wagged her eyebrows at Neal; he'd put his foot in it, now he'd need to deliver.

'How about… burgs. On the barbecue.'

'Sold!' Neal said with a smile.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

The sun was starting to fade when the foursome finished up their meal out on the Caffreys' backyard deck. Cheeseburgers and an arugula salad had been on the menu, at Hope's request, and all that was left was crumbs on the plates and full bellies all around.

'Thanks Dad. That was great' Hope said as she pulled away from the table. 'But now I can't move… or breathe.'

Sara chuckled. 'Not much room left in there, is there?' she asked knowingly.

She watched her daughter wince, rubbing her belly. 'Contractions?' she asked.

'Yeah, I've been getting a lot of them lately' Hope admitted. 'Here, Caitlin feel this' she added.

Caitlin moved her hand to Hope's belly, her face contorted. 'Holy shit! That thing's as hard as a rock.'

Sara shook her head and looked over at Neal; it just wouldn't be Caitlin without the colourful language.

'He's getting ready to make an appearance…' Hope said, languidly, rubbing her baby bump lovingly.

'So, dress shopping on Sunday' she declared, changing the mood.

'I can't be there' Caitlin replied with a pout.

'How come?' asked Hope.

'I'm going upstate to see Liam's game tomorrow night. We won't be back until late Saturday.'

'We?' Hope asked with a raised eyebrow. 'Is this the infamous Ben I've been hearing about?'

Sara and Neal exchanged knowing looks, waiting to see how Caitlin would spin the fact that she was leaving on a road trip with, of all people, Liam's best friend.

'Actually, no' Caitlin said, tentatively. 'I'm… going up with some of Liam's friends. I'm driving up with Will.'

'Will?' Hope repeated with just a touch of skepticism. 'You're driving up with Will? Will Allenby?'

Caitlin stood and began to gather the dishes, eager to create a distraction. 'Yeah… he asked if I wanted to come along' she said dismissively, uncomfortable about pursuing the conversation any further.

Sara had been growing more and more tense as the meal progressed, eager to finally 'fess up about the main reason for the impromptu meal and she felt like she would lose her nerve if she didn't just spit it out and get it over with. This seemed like as good a time as any to break the news.

'Caitlin, why don't you put that down for a minute' she said, taking in a deep breath. 'There's something I want to talk to the two of you about.'

Neal cleared his throat and pulled his chair a little closer to his wife's, leaning in to bring his arm around the back of her chair. He could see the lines forming on Hope's forehead as they all braced for what Sara was about to say.

'First of all, I don't want you two to worry…' she began, a statement which seemed to have the opposite effect.

Hope sat up ramrod straight, hand on her stomach. 'Well, now I _am_ worried' she stated.

'Honey, it's nothing…' Sara said, a definite understatement if ever there was one.

She looked over at Neal, pleading silently for his help; he'd always been so much better than she was at putting a positive spin on things.

'Your mom's been feeling tired lately' he began, choosing to skip over the fact that Sara kept passing out at the drop of a hat. 'So, we had her checked out and it turns out she needs a little help to regulate her heartbeat.'

'What?!' Hope said, her face growing tense. 'That sounds serious, Mom.'

'Honey, it's really not' Sara lied. 'It's pretty common, actually' - yeah, she thought, really common - in men over seventy.

'Well… what does it mean, exactly?' Caitlin asked, not nearly as surprised as Hope was, considering she'd been privy to Sara's trip to the hospital.

'It means… that I need a pacemaker. It's a…' she began before Hope interrupted.

'I know what it is, Mom. Why do you need a pacemaker? Are you at risk of having a heart attack?'

Neal's concern moved from Sara to Hope as the young woman struggled to try to get to her feet.

'Honey, sit down' Neal said, springing to his feet to keep his daughter from standing. 'There's really nothing to get upset about. Mom's _not_ going to have a heart attack. The doctor is just going to install a pacemaker so her heart beats more regularly, that's all. She'll be home the very next day… and she'll feel a whole lot better once it's done.'

'But… why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?' Hope asked, growing more agitated.

'I didn't want you to worry' Sara admitted. 'And I've only just found out about it myself. The doctor says my heart is strong but the connection to my heart valve is faulty and the pacemaker will make sure my heart keeps beating regularly.'

Hope's eyes filled with tears and Caitlin brought her arm around the mom-to-be, hoping to placate her. 'You don't think anything's going to slow down your mom, do you?' she asked rhetorically.

Hope shrugged, unconvinced. 'So… when is all this happening?' she asked.

'Next week, Wednesday' Sara replied.

'What?' Hope replied. 'Next week! Mom, you have the wedding coming up and your trip and… the baby's coming.'

Sara swallowed down her anxiety; Hope was echoing her very own fears.

'That's just it' Neal said, trying to keep the situation from deteriorating. 'She'll be back on her feet before the wedding and the doctor says there's no reason she can't fly in another few weeks.'

'And as far as the baby is concerned, I'll be there for you… just like we planned' Sara added, reaching out for her daughter's hand.

Hope began to cry, her bottom lip quivering. 'But… but Mom, Dr. Cooper says the baby might get here earlier than we thought' she blurted out.

Neal and Sara glanced at each other, relieved; at least, Hope's secret was finally out.

'How much earlier?' Neal asked innocently.

'A couple of weeks' Hope blubbered. 'And I want you to go on your trip…. you deserve to go on your trip.'

'Oh, honey…' Neal said, crouching next to her in order to look into her eyes. 'We'll figure it all out. Don't worry about it, okay?'

'I'm sorry' Hope managed to say. 'This isn't about me, it's about _you_ , Mom. I just want you to be all right.'

'And I will be, honey. I promise' Sara said with conviction, although she had no idea where this newfound optimism was coming from.

'Why don't we take things one day at a time' Neal suggested, as always the voice of reason. 'Let's get Mom home from the hospital and back on her feet and then we can figure out what we do about our trip and the baby' he said, wiping away the tears on Hope's cheek.

She nodded and sniffled. 'I want the two of you to go on your trip, Daddy. It means a lot to me' she moaned.

'I know… We'll go on our trip, honey, I promise' he said, careful not to put any timeline on it; after all, if Hope needed them nearby, he and Sara would be only too happy to put off their honeymoon for however long it took.

Sara let out a long sigh, relieved that she'd filled both girls in on her situation; all that was left was to call Liam and give him the news. Now, she needed to think ahead to the next few days and keep her own anxiety in check as she waited for the doctors to cut her up and insert a foreign object into her chest.

But Hope didn't need to know about all that.

WCWCWC

Early Friday morning, the Caffrey house was abuzz with activity as Sara and Neal prepared for work and Caitlin headed out to write the final exam for her first year course in child development. She'd had trouble sleeping, worrying about Sara's upcoming operation and thinking ahead to the four hour drive with Will - to say nothing of mentally reviewing Piaget's four stages of cognitive development.

Before bed, Neal and Sara had put in a call to Liam to give him the news of Sara's impending surgery. He hadn't been surprised, considering he already knew she hadn't been feeling well and he'd insisted on coming home early in the week to be with his mom. He was just about done with exams and as it was, he might soon be done with basketball as well. The Orange was down three games to one and the series would be over and done with if they didn't manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat at their game the following night.

'What time is Emily's flight coming in?' Neal asked as he tied a perfect Windsor knot in his tie.

'She lands at JFK at 6:46. Sorry I have to drag you all the way out there' Sara replied; she'd had just about enough of counting on others to drive her around whenever she needed to run any kind of errand.

'No problem. I'm looking forward to seeing her again' he replied, glancing over at his wife. 'You know, I've been thinking… Why don't we ask Em to stay for a few extra days to keep you company while you recuperate.'

Having Emily around would make things a lot easier for Sara - to say nothing of freeing him up to wrap up the case at Sterling Bosch. Otherwise, he would have to put everything on hold in order to stay by Sara's side 24/7 while she got back on her feet.

She shrugged; the thought of asking her sister to hang around had definitely crossed her mind and to be honest, having Emily by her side would be a huge morale booster, if nothing else.

'I suppose I could ask her' Sara replied as she faced Neal and began fiddling absent-mindedly with his tie. 'I'll fill her in tonight and see if she has anything planned for next week.'

'So, how are we going to handle this thing with Rebecca Hastings?' she added, changing the subject.

Neal had been wondering the very same thing; Sara was the most likely person to approach her but he didn't want to put any undue stress on her just before she went in for surgery. Time was of the essence and now that they had a solid lead, they needed to strike while the iron was hot.

'Do you feel up to doing it?' he asked, frowning.

'Of course I do. I just need a pretext to get her alone and then I can confront her about what we've found out and see how she reacts.'

'You'll have to do it somewhere safe… just in case' Neal warned.

'Honey, she doesn't strike me as the violent type' Sara replied, downplaying his concern.

'You never know… What if we do it together? I could let you do all the talking' he suggested.

Sara sighed. 'I don't know, Neal. I don't want to scare her off…'

'Oh, because I have a reputation for scaring women off?' Neal teased as he placed his hands on her hips and moved in closer.

Sara rolled her eyes at her husband's less than humble view of his effect on women; at least his self-esteem was intact. 'You really _do_ think you're all that, don't you Caffrey.'

'Says the woman who's dying to marry me' he murmured, cocky and self-assured.

Sara chuckled and shook her head in disbelief; she loved the man despite his healthy ego, and perhaps a little bit _because_ of it. She brought her hands to his face and reached up to kiss him softly.

'Fine' she finally said. 'Let me think about it. We're only going to get one kick at the can.'

Neal nodded in agreement. 'Now, come on' he said, nudging her towards the door. 'I don't want any arguments, I'm driving you to work.'

WCWCWC

'He didn't!' Will cried out as he laughed hysterically.

'I swear to God!' Caitlin replied as she tried to catch her breath.

She'd been regaling him with tall tales about one of her professors, a particularly ornery man, disliked by all, who had made a dramatic entrance in class by stepping on his own shoelace only to find himself laid out in front of the group with his glasses askew and his toupee covering his face.

'I didn't even know men still wore toupees' Will said, the laughter finally subsiding.

'Well, none of _my_ professors are that entertaining' he complained. 'Super straight, boring types.'

'It sounds like you're not all that crazy about being in pre-law' Caitlin commented.

'That's because I'm not' Will replied glibly.

'Then why don't you change your major to something you _actually_ like' asked the no-nonsense young woman.

Will took his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at her animated face; if only life were that simple.

'I would…' he said with regret. '… if only I could figure out what the hell it is I want to do with my life.'

Caitlin studied the young man; it was hard for her to fathom that someone might not know what they wanted for themselves. She felt passionate about so many things, including art and being with children, something she'd always found fascinating. She hadn't had to think much about it when the time had come to choose a university major.

'You used to play basketball with Liam, don't you play anymore?' she asked.

He let out a sigh which sounded like regret. 'I was never… I just never had the kind of talent Liam has and I kinda let it slide' he admitted.

'Don't you like playing?'

'Sure' he said. 'But I'm never going to make a living from it.'

'So? What does that have to do with anything? Playing should be for fun, it doesn't mean you have to make a career out of it.'

It was hard to argue with her reasoning but then again, Caitlin had never met Clive Allenby, LLB, a man who treated everything in his life like a high stakes competition.

'It's… complicated' he muttered, his eyes returning to the road ahead.

'So, explain it to me' she argued. 'We have three and a half hours before we get to Syracuse. Give me a little credit, I'm smart, you know.'

He smiled at her arrogance. 'I _know_ you're smart. That's not the issue, Caitlin.'

'Oh no? Then what _is_ the issue' she pressed, unwilling to let it go.

He sighed and glanced at her, her eyebrows raised in expectation.

It appeared as if Caitlin Somersby might be more than he'd bargained for.

WCWCWC

Neal hadn't been in James McDougall's waiting room in over a year. Being there always brought back a flood of memories and emotions of the very first morning he'd shown up there, terrified and desperate for help. Jim had played an important role in Neal's recovery and he'd been instrumental in helping Neal climb out of the dark hole he'd fallen into after Hope's horrific accident.

In the beginning, Neal had met with the man every week as he'd struggled with leaving booze behind for good but with time, he'd developed coping strategies of his own, making his visits to the man's office less frequent and eventually, the therapy had ended.

Neal had been out of touch with the addictions counsellor for some time when he'd called the man the previous summer asking for an appointment. Hope's wedding was coming up and he needed advice on how to deal with making a champagne toast to the newlyweds. After refraining from imbibing for four years, Neal had remained skittish about taking that first drink despite reassurances that he was a good candidate for a return to social drinking.

Neal's brush with alcohol abuse had come out of the blue, a direct result of the guilt he'd been feeling following Hope's accident. Through intense therapy sessions with Marion Birch and countless discussions with Jim McDougall, he had learned how to develop alternate, more healthy coping mechanisms to help him face his demons. Jim had advised him that if he chose to return to social drinking, he would support Neal through the process and help him evaluate whether moderate drinking was a successful option for him.

At Hope and Cam's wedding, the champagne had flowed and as the father of the bride held up his glass to toast the happy couple, his attention had been fixated on the contents of his glass rather than his speech, his hands shaking as he spoke. Following the toast, he'd taken a single sip and immediately panicked, putting the glass down decisively and walking away.

Sara had found him out in the restaurant lobby, shaking and panicked. He'd confessed he didn't feel ready to have a drink and that he was terrified of being sucked back down that black hole again. Despite her reassurances, it had taken a while before he'd calmed down enough to return to the party for the traditional dance with the bride. Now, the question was on the table again as he prepared for his own wedding ceremony; was he ready to take a stab at social drinking again?

'Neal!' a voice was heard in the distance, snapping him out of his reverie.

He turned to face a man he barely recognized standing before him.

'Jim! Oh, my God, look at you' he said, putting out his hand. 'You… you look incredible.'

To say that Jim McDougall was somewhat overweight was akin to saying the Atlantic ocean was a body of water. Ever since Neal had known him, Jim had carried double his normal weight around, looking like a linebacker on steroids. Since the last time he'd laid eyes on him, the man had melted away, now looking like a shadow of his former self.

'It's great to see you too, Neal' the man said, taking his arm and leading him into his office.

'What happened?' Neal couldn't help but ask before a scary thought occurred to him. 'You're not… sick or anything are you?'

The men settled across from each other as Jim laughed heartily. 'No. I'm not sick. I just decided it was time to address the extra weight so I got some help and I've dropped about a hundred and twenty pounds so far' he said, tapping his belly. 'Still got a ways to go, though.'

'Well, you look amazing' Neal commented.

'Sometimes we keep bad habits that don't serve us well and I'd just had enough' Jim admitted. 'Of course, the fact that I developed diabetes and that my blood pressure was through the roof were good incentives to make changes. So, tell me about you. What's been happening in your life since I last saw you?'

Neal relaxed, the easy cadence between them returning. He loved this guy, an honest to goodness great guy who spent his life helping others. Neal would never had made it through his horrible ordeal without him.

'Well, believe it or not Hope is expecting… any day now, actually' Neal said. 'And Sara and I are having a wedding renewal ceremony in a couple of weeks.'

'I got your invitation' the man said. 'And I'll be there, of course. Congratulations, renewing your wedding vows is a great idea.'

Neal smiled shyly. 'Well, it's twenty-five years this year and we've been through an awful lot… especially since Hope's accident and we wanted to take a breath and appreciate what we've got… and finally take that trip to Europe we never got around to taking.'

Jim nodded as he listened. Neal had always been one of his favourite clients and he was happy to see he'd gotten his life back on track after seeing him almost lose everything he'd worked so hard for.

'And the school?' he asked.

'It's going great. So is the gallery. My son-in-law is running it for me now so I can spend most of my time at the school' Neal said.

His face grew serious and Jim leaned in to listen. 'Sara's been… well, she's had some health issues and she's having surgery next week to have a pacemaker put in.'

'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that' the man said. 'My dad has one of those.'

Neal smiled politely; hearing that an elderly person had one didn't help much when he thought of his relatively young, vibrant wife.

'I know it'll help resolve some of the issues she's been having but… well, it's all a little… overwhelming, I guess.'

'Of course it is' Jim agreed. 'Is that why you're here? Have you been feeling the urge to have a drink?'

Neal pondered the question; although he'd had fleeting thoughts about throwing back a couple of belts of scotch at times, the urge was certainly more than manageable.

'Not really… sometimes, I think it would be nice to have a drink and take the edge off but the urge isn't overwhelming. I've been mostly thinking about our trip and our ceremony. Some of the people who are going to be at the wedding know what happened five years ago but most of the guests don't…' Neal said, his voice low.

'You get tired of explaining why you're not having a drink when everyone else is?' Jim guessed, correctly.

Neal shrugged; sometimes, he imagined getting looks when he was out with friends and ordered a soft drink while everyone was having a beer or a glass of wine. Maybe it was time to try again and see how he did.

'It would just be nice to have a glass of wine like everyone else but… well, I'm not ready to put everything on the line just so I can enjoy a glass of Pinot.'

Jim listened carefully, eager to give Neal the best advice under the circumstances but whatever Neal decided had to feel right for him, above everything else.

'Do you trust yourself enough to have a drink at your ceremony and see how that feels? It could empower you, you know… knowing you have full control of your impulses.'

'I don't know… I… I panicked at Hope's wedding and I'd only had one sip of champagne. What if I can't control my intake and I start to lose control again?'

'I won't lie to you, that's always a possibility, Neal. But, you've worked hard with Marion at getting to the root of the reasons for your alcohol abuse and your use of alcohol was directly related to what was happening in your life at the time. As I've said, all indications are that you could drink socially without falling back into your old habits.'

Neal teetered; he wanted to just be 'normal' whatever that meant but most of all, he refused to fall back on his old ways and he was prepared to do just about anything to keep that from happening.

'If you decide to go that route, we could schedule a few sessions to debrief and see how you're coping. As a matter of fact, I'd suggest a trial run of sorts where you have a glass of wine at mealtime over a couple of weeks and see how you do so that you're not totally focussed on that at your ceremony.'

Neal listened to the proposition; logically, it made a lot of sense.

'Remind me again about your intake prior to that episode five years ago' Jim said.

'Mostly wine. Sometimes a nightcap. Maybe twice or three times a week, mostly on weekends if we went out or had people over for dinner.'

'And what do you do now when you have, say the Burkes over for dinner?'

'That's just it… it's always a little awkward. Peter and Elizabeth always seem ill at ease about drinking wine when I'm there and Sara only recently started to have alcohol again in front of me and that was only after I nagged her into it' Neal admitted.

'Well, why not start with that?' Jim McDougall said. 'The Burkes are close friends and they know all about what happened, don't they?'

'Yeah…' Neal replied; Peter and Elizabeth had been involved in the intervention Sara had organized and they'd been supportive of him all along.

'Why not have them over for dinner and have a glass of wine. Explain to them what you're doing and we could meet afterwards and see how you got along, how you're feeling.'

Neal thought for a moment and nodded. 'That sounds good' he said tentatively. 'But I'd like to discuss it with Sara first, see how she feels about it.'

Jim was reminded of just how close Neal had come to losing his wife and family over his alcohol abuse and he nodded in agreement.

'Of course' he said, getting to his feet and walking Neal to the door. 'Let me know what you decide, okay?'

Neal seemed to falter for a moment and he turned to look at the man he now considered a friend.

'And Neal' the man added, patting Neal's arm. 'There's no right or wrong here, it's whatever feels right for you.'

'Thanks Jim' he said, shaking his hand vigorously. 'I really appreciate you seeing me.'

'Hey' the man said, his dark eyes sparkling. 'That's what I'm here for.'

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

The house was quiet except for hushed murmurs coming from the third floor - muted voices, punctuated by regular outbursts of unrestrained laughter. Neal had long given up on falling asleep, despite the late hour. He sat up in bed, trying his best to concentrate on the book he'd snatched from Sara's bedside table - some spy novel whose title he recognized from the New York Times best seller list. A smile crossed his lips as he heard another spontaneous burst of laughter coming from Hope's old room where Sara and Emily had been ensconced for the past hour or so.

Sara had gone up to the third floor to deliver some clean sheets and towels and she had yet to return - not that that was a surprise to Neal. Whenever they got together, the two women always had lots to talk about despite the fact they had lengthy phone conversations on a weekly basis. Neal would never understand what they had to say to each other for hours on end; maybe their unending gabfests were a direct consequence of having spent almost thirty-five years of their lives living apart from one another. Regardless of the reason, their unbridled excitement at being together was contagious and Neal was just plain thrilled to see his wife so elated whenever her sister was visiting.

As an only child, Neal had missed out on having siblings and although he didn't dwell on his misfortune, he'd always been envious of Peter whenever he heard his best friend talk about his relationship with his brother and sister and his years growing up in a large extended family in upstate New York. Neal's world had been small to begin with; both his parents were only children and once his dad was sent up, he'd been left with a despondent mother and Ellen Parker - who was the closest thing he'd ever had to an extended family.

Having a family with Sara had been a way of filling that emotional void in his life and after Hope was born, Neal had longed to further grow their family to include three or four siblings for his little girl. Fate had intervened in the form of a virulent cancer and, in the end, he and Sara had been lucky to finally welcome Liam into the fold after many years of wishing... and hoping... and praying... and trying. Now, looking back, Neal realized he had the exact family he was meant to have and he was grateful for all the blessings he'd had over the years, including the late addition of Caitlin Somersby who, following a shaky start, had grown into a loving and caring member of their family.

Neal set down the book and let his mind wander back to his meeting with Jim McDougall. He was eager to discuss the situation with Sara and get her take on it before making the decision whether or not to have a drink at their upcoming nuptials. Nothing was worth risking the wonderful life he had fought so hard to get back - certainly not the fleeting pleasure of having a drink.

He checked the calendar on his phone, typing in a reminder to visit the jewellers so he could pick up their rings as well as his gift for Sara. The long awaited celebration was a mere three weeks away and there was still so much to do to prepare for the ceremony and the subsequent party. Mozzie had been hassling him about some reading he wanted the go-ahead on and he still needed to figure out what he was going to wear as well as come up with an appropriate gift for Liam, who was acting as his best man. To top it off, he and Sara had yet to decide what they'd be giving their guests as thank you gifts and there were the endless decisions on catering and decorations to discuss with Elizabeth.

Add to that, the mystery surrounding the date of their grandson's arrival and the increasingly pressing need to wrap up the case at Sterling Bosh — it all added up to a very busy time for him and Sara.

For the time being, though, everything was in limbo - at least until Sara's surgery was behind them and Neal could start to breathe again. He'd been reading everything he could get his hands on about the procedure and even though the cardiologist had assured them that this was a routine operation, Neal was anxious to have it all over with so their lives could return to normal.

Despite the many issues competing for his attention and the gales of laughter coming from above his head, Neal could feel his eyelids growing heavy and he shook his head, trying to refocus his attention on the book in his lap. Alas, the effort was in vain and his eyes drifted shut as his head fell back on his soft, comfy pillow.

WCWCWC

'It was nice of Caitlin to give up her room while I'm visiting' Emily said, sitting up on the bed in the third floor bedroom.

'She didn't mind' Sara replied. 'When she gets back, she can settle in Hope's old room downstairs.'

'So, are you excited about going shopping tomorrow?' the elder sibling asked, her own eyes bright with anticipation.

Sara shrugged; with everything going on, it was hard to get excited about something as frivolous as dress shopping.

'I suppose…' she managed to say without much enthusiasm.

'Ah, come on Sara. Everything's going to be fine, you'll see. In three weeks, it'll all be behind you and you'll be walking down the aisle to marry the man you love… again.'

'And I _want_ to get excited about it… I _am_ excited but I… I just need to get through the next few days first. And then there's the whole situation with Hope and the baby' she added wistfully.

'What do you mean? What situation with Hope?' Emily asked, leaning in closer.

'Apparently, the baby is coming a little sooner than we thought. Right around the time we're scheduled to get back from our trip' Sara explained with a frown.

'What? You're not thinking of cancelling your trip, are you? You've been so excited about finally seeing Paris with Neal.'

'I… I don't know, Em. If it's a choice between being here for my daughter and seeing the Eiffel Tower, well… it's a no brainer' Sara admitted.

Emily brought her arm to rest around her sister's shoulder and gave her a warm hug. 'Oh, honey, what are the odds she'll be early? This is her first baby and we all know first babies are _always_ late.'

Sara scoffed; she knew the odds were in their favour but her daughter had never been one to do things by the book. After all, it was an eight hour flight from Paris to New York and if Hope went into premature labour, chances are she and Neal would never make it back in time for the birth.

'I was almost two full weeks late with Hope' Sara mused, recalling her level of anxiety and frustration as her due date came and went. 'I was going stir crazy… and I was driving Neal crazy too' she added with a giggle.

Emily smiled sadly; she'd missed out on all that and Sara had been forced to go through the whole thing without the benefit of having her sister by her side. She could certainly understand Sara wanting to be there for Hope when the time came.

'I guess it's one of those things' Emily commented. 'None of us, including Hope, can control when the baby will decide to make his appearance.'

Sara's face grew serious and Emily hugged her tightly. 'You'll see, by this time next week, the surgery will be behind you and you'll realize that you were worried for nothing.'

'That dress I told you about… I don't even know if I want it anymore' Sara murmured sadly. 'I'm going to have this ass-ugly scar in the middle of my chest for the whole wide world to see.'

'So? Since when do _you_ care what the rest of the world thinks?' Emily asked.

Sara scoffed; of course, Emily was right. Worrying about what other people thought had never been very high on Sara Ellis' list of priorities.

'You're right, I should just do what feels right. After all, the only person whose opinion matters on my wedding day is Neal.'

'And I don't even need to ask what he thinks about all this. He'll want you to do what's best for you' Emily stated with assurance.

Sara pulled away to look into her sister's eyes - a mirror of her own. 'You sure you don't mind staying for the week?' she asked.

'Sara, really?' Emily replied with a playful shove. 'You'd do the same for me.'

Sara got to her feet and glanced at the clock. 'I guess I better get back downstairs. Neal is going to start to wonder if I got lost' she said, reaching out to give her sister a hug.

'I am so glad you're here' she added, squeezing her tight.

'And I'm so glad to _be_ here!' Emily whispered in her ear.

'Get a good night's sleep' Sara said as she walked to the bedroom door. 'We've got a big day tomorrow.'

Sara let out a tired sigh and prepared to come down the narrow staircase back to her own bedroom on the second floor. It was great to have Emily nearby again and she had to admit that knowing she'd be around after her surgery was more than a little comforting.

She was halfway down the staircase when she felt herself falter - a sensation which sadly was not foreign to her. She grabbed on to the wall to steady herself as she continued down the stairs. With everything going on at work, her concerns for Hope and her nagging worry about her own surgery, it had been an eventful few days and she was exhausted. She forced herself to focus on taking the stairs one at a time, feeling more lightheaded with each step. If she could just make it to bed, she could put her feet up and do some deep breathing exercises to help calm her nerves.

She spotted Raffie, lying in the hallway right outside their bedroom door as she took the last step and suddenly, things got hazy and stars began appearing before her eyes, unexpectedly whiting out her vision. She recognized the unmistakeable signs and she grabbed on to the bannister to hold herself upright, aware that her legs were about to give out.

'Neal!' she cried out just before things went dark.

WCWCWC

The small group of friends rallied around Liam at the local sports bar following Orange's crushing defeat. Despite the team's valiant effort, they had been eaten alive by the opposition and that meant that it was time for Liam and his teammates to hang up their sneakers until the following season.

Regardless of the less than celebratory mood, Liam was bolstered by the presence of his friends from back home, especially his best friend who sat by his side, sharing in his disappointment.

'Tough break' Will said as he bought his hand to rest on his best friend's back. 'But you shouldn't have any regrets, Liam. You really left everything on the court.'

Caitlin observed the two young men with interest - Liam, with his sandy blond hair and fair complexion and Will, with his darker curls. They couldn't look more different and yet they'd been besties since grade school and she couldn't remember a time when Will Allenby wasn't hanging around the Caffrey house, at least in the five short years since she'd been an honorary Caffrey.

'Our heart wasn't in it, I guess' Liam groused as he took a long sip of his beer. 'At least now I can come home and spend some time with my mom.'

He turned to face Caitlin. 'So, how is she? Really?' he asked.

'You know your mom, she always puts on a brave face' Caitlin replied cautiously. 'I think she's more worried about Hope and her baby than anything else.'

'That sounds like Mom' Liam agreed. 'So, when are you two driving back?' he asked, addressing his best friend.

Caitlin and Will exchanged looks; they hadn't discussed their plans for returning to New York but they'd only planned on staying in Syracuse for a single night.

Will shrugged in response to Liam's question. 'We hadn't really discussed it, why?'

'Well, I need a day to wrap everything up but… if you guys don't mind waiting until Sunday, maybe I could drive back with you' he explained. 'Save me from having to take the bus with all my stuff.'

'Sure' Will said, turning to look at Caitlin. 'What do you think, Caitlin?' he asked.

Liam's eyes grew in surprise at the question; suddenly, his best friend was acting like half of a couple, checking in with his better half to make sure she was in agreement with the plan. The thought of the two of them together caused his stomach to flip flop and he let out a nervous cough.

'Well, I'm done with my exams' Caitlin said. 'But I'm working at the day care first thing Monday morning.'

Will turned to look at his best friend and nodded, seeing the look of uneasiness there. 'Yeah, we could wait for you' he replied. 'We just need to book a room for tomorrow night, that's all.'

'I mean _two_ rooms' he quickly corrected as he glanced tentatively at Caitlin.

Liam let out a nervous titter at the sight of the two of them looking so cozy. His phone vibrated on the table where he'd left it as he waited on that special call from New York. His smile grew as he glanced down at the screen.

'It's Cody' he declared, getting to his feet to take the call.

WCWCWC

Despite his best efforts to stay awake, Neal's eyes had drifted shut as he sat up in bed with Sara's open book on his lap and his reading glasses still perched on the tip of his nose. The soft voices and cheerful laughter had slowly faded off into the distance as his tired body had finally given in following a very busy week.

He startled as he heard his name being called and for a brief moment, he wondered if he'd dreamed it or if Sara had called out to him. Raffie's loud bark immediately followed and Neal sat at attention; the old dog only ever barked when someone came to the door or when he spotted an errant cat nearby.

'Sara?' Neal called out as his feet hit the floor.

He ventured out of the bedroom, finding Raffie whimpering as he hovered over Sara's inert body, lying flat on the ground at the bottom of the staircase.

'SARA!' he called out, running towards her.

Emily appeared at the top of the staircase, looking down to see what all the commotion was about.

'Oh my God!' she called out as she spotted her sister in a pile at the bottom. 'What happened?'

'Can you get me a wet facecloth?' Neal asked as Emily ran down the stairs, stepping around Sara on her way to the nearby bathroom.

'Sara…' Neal murmured as he gently lifted his wife head off the ground and cradled it in his lap. 'Honey, wake up.'

He gave her a quick once over, searching for any obvious signs of trauma, relieved to find no obvious sign of injury. Had she tumbled down the stairs or simply passed out once she'd gotten to the bottom? Either way, she was out cold and Neal could feel the adrenaline pumping as he assessed her breathing. Her chest heaved up and down, her breathing laboured and within seconds, she was opening her eyes, looking confused just as he placed the wet facecloth on her forehead.

'What… what happened' she moaned as she came to.

'You passed out again' Neal said, concern obvious in his voice.

'I was… coming down the stairs and… I just got dizzy' Sara said breathlessly as Emily looked on, her face contorted.

'I didn't hear any ruckus' Emily said, addressing Neal. 'I don't think she fell down the staircase.'

Sara was already trying to get to her feet but Neal held her back. 'Just a minute, babe' he murmured. 'I want to make sure you didn't hit your head or anything.'

'I'm fine, Neal' Sara replied dismissively, trying her best to push him away. She was embarrassed more than anything else and she hated that look of worry that was obvious on her husband's face.

'Come on, let me help you up' Neal insisted as he brought his arm around her waist to support her.

For a minute there, she saw stars and she worried she might pass out again but she took a couple of deep breaths, holding on to Neal and Emily and taking the few short steps into her bedroom, where she was placed gently on the edge of the bed.

'Damn it!' she muttered impatiently.

Neal took a seat next to her, his arm reaching around her back. 'Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself?' he asked again, warily.

'No! I'm not hurt' she said, her voice growing angry. 'Just… pissed off!'

Neal glanced at his sister-in-law, hovering nearby, noting the look of concern on her face. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time he'd seen his wife in this state although for Emily, this was all new - and frightening.

'Should we take her to the hospital?' she asked Neal, her eyes narrowing.

Sara glared at her older sister. 'I don't need to go to the hospital' she barked back tersely. 'I'm fine.'

Neal gave Emily what he hoped was a discreet head nod towards the door. Sara was notoriously proud and he could tell she was embarrassed by what had happened. 'I can take it from here, Emily. Thanks' he said.

Emily could see that her sister was in good hands and reluctantly, she made her way to the door, giving the couple one last worried glance before stepping out into the hallway.

'Call me if you need me' she called out as she disappeared down the hall and back to her own room.

Neal knelt down on the floor directly in front of his wife, running his hands up and down her arms and legs, looking for any sign of damage he might have missed. This was no time to cater to Sara's misplaced pride; he was going to make damn sure she wasn't injured no matter how much she protested.

'Neal, I'm fi— owww' she muttered as he ran his hand up her left leg.

He leaned in to examine her more closely, noticing a welt forming on the outside of her thigh.

'I'll get some ice' he stated, getting to his feet.

'Neal, I'm fine —' she began to grumble.

He turned to face her, his face tight.

'Sara, stop it!' he said, his voice uncharacteristically loud. 'Would you _please_ stop minimizing what just happened. You could have killed yourself falling down those stairs.'

Sara stared back at him in shock; apparently, Neal's patience had run out.

He stood and waved a menacing finger, obviously exasperated. 'Just… sit there and be quiet and let me get some goddamn ice!'

WCWCWC

Will and Caitlin kept Liam company long after the rest of the group disbanded for the night. Following the call from home, Liam seemed to slip into a funk and he'd been throwing back the tequila shots at an alarming rate. He missed Cody and after a hard fought battle on the basketball court and the tension from the past few weeks, he needed to cut loose. By the time the bar finally closed, Liam was three sheets to the wind and Will insisted on accompanying his best friend back to the dorm before turning in for the night.

The two men stumbled into the darkened dorm room, trying to keep from waking Josh who was sound asleep. Will dragged Liam across the room and proceeded to slip off his shoes after perching him precariously on the edge of his bed.

'You're cute together' Liam muttered as Will reached over to help his best friend take off his shirt.

'What?' Will asked, confused about the out of context comment.

'You and Caitlin… you're cute together' Liam repeated with a crooked smile. 'But she's bat-shit crazy, I'm warning you.'

Will chuckled. 'Thanks for the warning' he whispered as he helped Liam with his belt buckle.

'She swears like a fucking sailor…' Liam continued, his voice slurred. '…and she has _absolutely_ no filter' he said with an exaggerated sneer.

Will sniggered as he continued to undress his best friend, pulling the blankets back on the bed as Liam sat there wavering, wearing nothing but his boxers and looking forlorn.

'Just… just don't… go getting your heart broken…' Liam mumbled as his heavy head finally hit the pillow.

'Get some sleep, Caffrey and we'll come by in the morning and give you a hand to pack your stuff' young Allenby said as he tucked his best friend in and headed back out to the car.

He found Caitlin gently snoring in the passenger's seat. She'd had her fair share of tequila shooters too and she barely moved when he climbed into the car and drove them back to the hotel. He was suddenly painfully aware of the young woman's warm body next to his. She was exasperating and loud and obnoxious but she was funny as hell and full of life and it dawned on him that he'd spent the last few hours imagining what it might feel like to kiss those pouty lips of hers.

WCWCWC

By the time Neal returned with the ice pack, he'd reverted to his cool, calm self. Sara's initial annoyance had begun to dissipate; she knew all too well he'd simply been reacting out of concern for her wellbeing.

He appeared in the doorway to their bedroom, avoiding her gaze as she sat waiting patiently for his return and he settled on his knees in front of her, his eyes and hands immediately zeroing in on the bruise that was beginning to form on the outside of her leg. He pressed the ice pack against her thigh and she winced in response to the uncomfortable sensation.

'Sorry' he mumbled. 'I know it's cold.'

Her hand came to rest on the top of his head and she caressed his hair as his eyes finally moved up to meet hers.

'Sorry I lost it. I shouldn't have told you to be quiet… that was rude of me' he whispered.

'That's okay' Sara replied, her voice soft. 'I deserved it… I know you're just worried about me.'

Neal let out an audible sigh, his eyes closing tightly as he tried to keep his emotions in check; he hated losing control. 'Seeing you lying there on the floor like that… it's scary' he admitted.

'It's scary for me too, Neal… but I'm okay, see?' she added as she crossed her eyes and gave him a goofy smile.

He laughed heartily and moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to her, his arm reaching protectively around her shoulder.

He pulled her in against his chest, breathing heavily as the adrenaline finally left his body.

'The sooner we get this fixed, the better' he murmured under his breath.

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Hope rocked back and forth, humming softly as she lovingly caressed her bulging belly. She wasn't much of a singer but the baby was a captive audience and she took full advantage of that fact in the early morning hours of this brand new day.

'Hush little baby, don't say a word…' she murmured, pausing to take a breath only to have Cameron's much more harmonious voice chime in before she could continue.

'Poppa's gonna buy you a mocking bird' he sang from the doorway to the baby's room.

'Hey' Hope called out, turning in the rocking chair to face him. 'Sorry… did I wake you?'

He made his way into the room and crouched down in front of her, leaning in to gently kiss her lips before moving on to her baby bump.

'Good morning, Harvey' he whispered as Hope gave him a playful shove.

'Stop it' she laughed. 'He's going to be so confused by the time he comes out if you keep calling him different names every day.'

Cam took a seat on the area rug at her feet, crossing his long legs and smiling up at his wife, eyes still small with sleep. 'What? You asked me to stop calling him Milton… which I did and then you didn't want me calling him Harold…'

'Seriously Cam!' Hope said, cutting him off. 'We're going to have to commit to a name soon… or he'll be heading off to university as John Doe.'

Cameron chuckled and brought his head to rest in his wife's lap, delighting in the soft touch of her hand as she caressed his hair languidly.

'What are you doing up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning, anyway?' he murmured.

'I didn't want to wake you' Hope cooed. 'I just couldn't get back to sleep.'

He moaned with pleasure as she scratched his scalp more vigorously. 'What time are you meeting everybody?'

'Aunt Elizabeth is picking me up at nine. We're all going for breakfast before we head out to the bridal shop. Did I mention Aunt Emily arrived last night?'

'Mmmmm…' Cam grew quiet as Hope continued rubbing his hair and he let out a satisfied sigh, letting himself slowly drift back to sleep.

'Babe, remember a few months ago, a friend of Uncle Peter's came into the gallery?' she said as he lifted his head to look up at her, bleary-eyed.

'You're going to have to be more specific' he mumbled, his voice sleepy.

'He was a book publisher, I think' she replied with a frown.

'Oh yeah… Reg or Red something or other. But I think he was a friend of your aunt Elizabeth's and he was a literary agent, not a publisher.'

'What's the difference?' Hope asked.

Cam shrugged. 'I don't know, I just remember him saying he was a literary agent. Why are you asking?' he said, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a yawn.

'The other night I was thinking of that story Dad used to tell me when I was a little girl, you know the one about the birds?'

'Oh yeah… the one that inspired those drawings' he said, pointing to the nearby dresser.

'I was thinking… what if I looked into having it published? The story, I mean and maybe I could contribute the illustrations.'

'You mean like a _real_ book they could sell in a bookstore?'

'Yeah, a children's book. It's a great story and I could get it done as a surprise for Dad, for when the baby's born.'

'Isn't getting a book published a big deal?' Cam asked, scratching his head.

'I don't know…' Hope admitted. 'People self-publish all the time nowadays, don't they?'

Cameron reached out his arms, bringing them to rest around her expanding waist.

'I suppose' he mumbled, tucking his head in next to her belly. 'It's a great idea, sweetie, but don't you think you have enough on your plate as it is?'

'What are you talking about? All I _have_ is time now that I'm only working three days a week' she replied as if the situation was as plain as the nose on his face.

Cam gazed up at her and shook his head in disbelief; his wife wasn't happy unless she had several projects on the go - all at the same time.

'I give up. You want some coffee, babe' he added as he got to his feet.

Hope seemed to be off somewhere, perhaps floating away on the wings of one of her colourful birds.

'Hope?'

'What?' she asked, returning to the present.

'Coffee?' he repeated.

'Uh-huh, thanks honey. That sounds great' she replied with a distracted smile.

He stood and made his way to the door, glancing back at his wife, watching as she rocked back and forth, hand on her belly and eyes dreamily staring at the birds gracing the mural on the wall.

WCWCWC

Will woke with the same smile that had graced his lips when he'd fallen asleep the night before. By the time they'd made it back to the hotel, it was almost two thirty in the morning and he'd insisted on walking Caitlin right to her door - which happened to be right next to his. He'd watched as she'd unlocked the door and he'd been debating whether or not to give her a goodnight kiss when she'd turned back to look at him before smiling sweetly and leaning in to place a nice, lingering kiss on his surprised but grateful lips.

'G'night Allenby' she'd muttered before stepping into her room and leaving him standing out there in the hallway, feeling like he'd just won the lottery.

Granted, she'd had a few drinks but Will liked to think she'd been perfectly coherent and aware of her actions when she'd made her move. Regardless, the ice was broken and Will found himself hoping that the sweet kiss was but the first of many more close encounters with the pretty blonde young woman.

There was a sharp knock at the door and he sat bolt upright in bed, checking the time: 8:30.

'Hey! Allenby!' he heard the familiar voice call out.

He sat up on the edge of the bed in his shorts, hair spiked up, eyes wild and mouth agape - not quite the impression he wanted to make.

'Caitlin?' he called back through the door as he ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to tame his unruly mane.

'No, it's Wonder Woman. Of course, it's Caitlin' she shouted in her usual acerbic way.

He grinned and shook his head; he was definitely going to have his hands full with this woman.

'Just a minute' he said as he grabbed for a t-shirt by the bed and pulled it on over his head.

He checked his breath and winced - better not to get too close - and he jogged to the door, opening it just enough to see her standing there, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed, her straight blond hair tied up in a pony tail, making her look younger than her twenty-one years.

'What are doing up so early, Blondie?' he asked with a playful smirk.

'Blondie?' she repeated with a grin. 'Didn't you say we were helping Liam pack up his stuff today?'

'Yeah but…'

'Well then, get your ass in gear' she said with a soft smile. 'I'll meet you down in the coffee shop in fifteen minutes.'

He watched as she turned to head down the hallway.

'Don't keep me waiting' she shouted over her shoulder as she kept walking.

WCWCWC

Liam winced in discomfort as the sun came streaming into his room, momentarily blinding him. His stomach lurched and he let out a plaintive moan, turning over in bed and spotting Josh Monteith, sitting up at his small desk, trying to study.

'Hey sleeping beauty!' the young man called out. 'I see you've decided to rejoin the living.'

Liam groaned loudly and pulled the pillow over his throbbing head in an attempt to keep the rest of the world out.

'By the way, your phone's been ringing off the hook for the past hour' Josh added.

Liam peeked out from under the pillow and reached for his phone, knocking it to the floor and cursing colourfully as he leaned over to pick it up: five texts and three missed calls.

Two of the texts were from Cody - both lovey dovey messages reminding him he'd be waiting with open arms when he finally made it home Sunday night. The other three texts were from Will as were two of the messages - asking repeatedly what time Liam wanted him and Caitlin to come over.

The last phone message was from his dad, commiserating about the loss the night before and asking him to call home when he got a minute.

He threw the phone down and let himself fall back on the bed, grumbling as he held his head in his hands. 'My mouth feels like I swallowed a bunch of cotton balls' he moaned.

'You are _such_ a wimp, Caffrey' Josh teased. 'You never could hold your booze.'

Liam opened one eye and did his best to glare at his roommate. 'Over imbibing is not something I strive to excel at' he moaned.

'What happened, anyway? When we left you at the bar with your friends, you were fine.'

'Cody called…' Liam explained. 'And then I started missing him…'

Josh laughed. 'You've got it bad, man!'

'You should talk. I was there when Brianna dumped you, remember. We practically had to carry you out of the bar - and you were crying like a two-year old.'

Josh shrugged; he hated being reminded of the one who got away.

'So are you still planning on heading back to New York tomorrow?' he asked, changing the subject.

'No reason to stick around' Liam said as he began to move around the room, starting to feel human again.

'Besides, my mom's having an operation next week' he added.

'No shit? What's wrong with her?' Josh asked, giving up on studying.

'She's getting a pacemaker put in.'

'A pacemaker? My grandfather has one of those. Anyway, your mom's a babe, she's not old enough to need a pacemaker.'

'Eww, shut up, that's disgusting!' Liam whined. 'And, apparently, it has nothing to do with age.'

He stepped into the small bathroom, leaving the door ajar as the two young men continued to chat.

'So, when are _you_ heading home?' Liam shouted as he looked at himself in the mirror and frowned in response to the scruffy young man staring back at him.

'I have one last exam on Monday then I'm out of here' Josh called out.

Liam moved out of sight to use the toilet and returned to the mirror, throwing some cold water on his face and checking out the day old growth on his chin.

'Do you have a job for the summer?' he asked, grabbing for his razor.

'Yeah, my brother-in-law got me a job in his firm, as a gopher. Boring as shit but it pays well' Josh replied.

He stood and made his way to stand in the doorway to the bathroom, watching as Liam shaved and slowly morphed into his usual, mild-mannered self.

'What about you?' he asked.

'I'm managing the two garden centres again this summer. Old man Budd is getting too long in the tooth to do it so he just keeps an eye on things from afar' Liam explained.

Josh nodded as Liam spoke, leaning in the door jamb. 'I'm going to miss you, man' he stated.

'Before we know it, summer will be over and we'll be back for another glorious year' Liam said sarcastically. 'Maybe you could come to New York for a visit; Cody and I could show you around.'

There was a knock on the door and Josh made his way to see who it was.

From the bathroom, Liam heard a couple of familiar voices.

'Caffrey, are you up?' Will called out.

'Yeah, lizard breath' came a female voice. 'We're here to help you pack!'

WCWCWC

Finding wedding attire for four very different women turned out to be more of a challenge than anybody could have imagined. After visiting four different bridal shops and spending five hours in various states of undress, Emily and Elizabeth had managed to pick out a couple of beauties, both classic dresses perfect for a summer afternoon wedding.

Right off the bat, Sara had tried on the dress she'd been eyeing for weeks. Miraculously, it was available in her size at the Designer Loft and everyone agreed she was a vision - it fit her like a glove. Sara had to admit, she loved it even more than when it had simply been a photograph staring back at her from the pages of a magazine. The only downside was the lower cut front, which looked amazing but revealed her collar bone - where there would be a lovely, permanent two inch scar in less than a week.

She knew Neal would get that goofy look on his face no matter what she wore, that wasn't the issue but she didn't want to feel self-conscious on her own wedding day and she'd spent the better part of an hour trying on other dresses, all beautiful, which covered the problematic areas on her body. The women had decided to go to lunch and let Sara think about it, putting off the inevitable decision until later on in the day.

That left Hope, who was struggling to find something flattering; as matron of honour, she wanted to blend in - not an easy feat when she was feeling as big as a house.

'That's a nice one, honey' Sara said as she sat back, watching her daughter parade in front of a three way mirror.

'Sure, if you like muumuus' Hope griped as she got a look at herself.

Sara got to her feet and joined her daughter in front of the full-length mirror. 'I get it' she said. 'I know you feel like you're the size of a building, but…'

Hope turned to glare at her mom, her face aghast. 'A building!' she exclaimed loudly. 'Thanks a lot, Mom.'

She turned on her heels and disappeared into the change room as Sara looked over at El and Emily with a look of despair; so much for putting your foot in your mouth.

'That went well' she muttered sarcastically as she let her arms drop and followed Hope into the small room.

'Hope? Can I come in?' she asked before barging in, not waiting for an answer.

She found her daughter teetering on the edge of a narrow bench in the small change room, one arm still in the dress, with tears rolling down her face.

'A building?' she repeated as she looked up at her mom. 'A house, maybe… but a building?'

'Oh honey, I'm sorry' Sara moaned as she took a seat next to her daughter. 'You keep forgetting I've been there and I know exactly how you're feeling. What I was _trying_ to say is that you might feel… big and awkward but all anybody else sees when they look at you is a beautiful, pregnant young woman with bright blue eyes and an amazing smile.'

'Nice try, Mom' Hope replied, skeptical.

Sara ran her hand through Hope's hair, remembering all those times she'd comforted her little girl over the past twenty-five years - as a toddler, after she'd skinned her knee at the park, that time she'd had a huge fight with Olivia, at thirteen, when that boy she liked had told her she looked like a horse and on her wedding day, when she'd cried tears of joy. And here she was, about to become a mom herself, embarking on this incredible adventure called parenthood.

After a moment, Hope seemed to calm down and she looked over at her mom, smiling through her tears.

'I've seen tons of pictures of you when _you_ were pregnant. You looked incredible' she stated with a pout.

'I didn't _feel_ incredible' Sara admitted. 'Daddy had to practically force me into maternity clothes; I fought it for a long time and I kept insisting on wearing my regular clothes and my dresses kept riding up over my bulging stomach' Sara recalled with a chuckle.

'But you'd look good in a potato sack, Mom' Hope said.

'Well, thank you honey. That's a lovely sentiment' Sara said, eyebrows raised.

'You know what I mean. You're… taller than I am and slimmer and everything looks good on you.'

'Hope Ellis-Caffrey' Sara declared. 'Where is all this self-doubt coming from? You're beautiful and full of life.'

Hope looked up at her mom, somewhat embarrassed. 'Mom, did you feel like having sex a lot at the end of your pregnancy?' she blurted out.

Sara stared back, eyes wide and cleared her throat as she pondered the unexpected question.

'Do you?' she replied, using the old Caffrey deflection technique.

'Yes!' Hope said, her face flush. 'All the time… I want to do it… like, every day.'

Sara laughed out loud. 'Oh honey, welcome to the last few weeks of pregnancy. Is Cameron complaining?'

Hope scoffed. 'Are you kidding? He's exhausted… but he's not complaining' she said as they both chuckled.

'You still have those two to try' Sara said, pointing to what had been her favourite pick of the bunch. 'I really love that pale lilac one, it's a little more fitted. Do you want some help getting into it?'

Hope nodded in silence and finished removing the dress that was half hanging off her body. Sara watched with wonder as her daughter stood there in her underwear, looking spectacularly beautiful as her perfectly round belly stood out unabashedly proud in front of her.

And then it hit her: she was going to be some little baby's grandmother very soon. A grandma… complete with a pacemaker to match. She shook off the unsettling thought, preferring instead to imagine her little girl, lovingly cradling her newborn baby, a much more comforting thought.

WCWCWC

If there was one thing Neal Caffrey loved, it was having a houseful of people over for dinner. Perhaps it was a vestige of the life he'd had as a young child, living alone with his mom in a modest little apartment where no one ever came to visit.

Having to set the table in the dining room meant the kitchen table was just too small to accommodate all the guests and Neal hummed as he did a mental head count and began to put out the silverware on the large dining room table.

Liam had texted to say he'd be stopping by to see Cody on his way home and that they were about thirty miles out of town but that had been two hours ago and Caitlin still hadn't made an appearance. Hope and Cam were already there, lounging around the backyard with Sara and Emily and Neal could hear the soft murmur of voices in the distance as he finished placing the glasses on the table. He returned to the kitchen and opened the fridge, calling out to the foursome on the back deck.

'I've made a salmon dip if you guys want to munch on something while you're waiting' he called out.

Sara was instantly by his side, reaching for crackers in the cupboard and poking around the refrigerator, looking for drinks.

'Caitlin should have been home by now' Neal commented as he placed the dip on the tray.

'Oh, she texted me. She and Will just stopped off for coffee after they dropped Liam off at Cody's' Sara replied, matter of factly.

He gave her a look as if she'd grown a second head; obviously miffed that he hadn't been privy to the latest news.

'Coffee? They just spent the whole weekend together, why are they stopping for coffee?' he asked with just a hint of bluster.

Sara rolled her eyes at him. 'Neal, seriously? They just spent four hours in the car with Liam, not exactly romantic stuff. They probably wanted a bit more time alone.'

'Romantic?' Neal repeated. 'So you think…'

'Neal! Really? What did you _think_ was happening between the two of them?' she stated with authority.

He frowned, pissed off once again at being kept out of the loop and he returned to checking the pork roast in the oven, acting as if he wasn't miffed, which he definitely was.

'Did you set a place for Will? Caitlin will probably invite him to stay' Sara said.

'Of course I set a place for Will' Neal lied, his tone defensive.

He returned to the dining room and took out another place setting, squeezing in one more spot around the overflowing table.

WCWCWC

'So, how about we catch a movie later this week' Will suggested as he sat across from Caitlin at the local coffee shop.

She looked up coyly, smiling at him. The more time she spent with Will Allenby, the more time she _wanted_ to spend with him - of that, there was no doubt.

'Sure… I just need to make sure Sara and Mr C. don't need me for anything. You know, with Sara's surgery and everything.'

'Of course. We can play it by ear' Will said with a warm smile.

He reached out and took her hand, soft and warm. It had been awhile since he'd been in the company of a woman - ever since Josie had unceremoniously dumped him the night of their senior prom.

Caitlin had a fleeting thought for Ben, the nice young man who'd taken her out on a few dates. The thought of him did absolutely nothing for her, whereas sitting across from Will Allenby had her heart pumping wildly and her cheeks reddening. He was kind and sweet and every time she looked into his dark brooding eyes, she couldn't make herself turn away.

'Liam seems to be okay with us… spending time together' Will commented; obviously, that had been on his mind.

'How come you care so much about what Liam thinks?' she asked.

He hesitated for a moment before answering. 'Liam's my best friend, the brother I never had. I mean, I'd like to see you no matter what he says but it's nice to know the people you care about are on your side.'

Caitlin nodded; another point in the Will column - kind, sweet _and_ thoughtful.

'I guess I should be getting back' she said, checking the time. 'The Caffreys will be wondering where I got to.'

'Caitlin…' Will said, his voice tentative. 'I _really_ enjoyed spending the weekend with you.'

She gave him a bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling. 'So did I' she replied.

WCWCWC

Cody pointed his old, beat up car in the direction of the Caffrey home and leaned over to capture Liam's hand in his.

'I can't believe you're finally home' he said, squeezing tight. 'And you don't have to go back for a _whole_ three months.'

Liam wagged his eyebrows; he'd had one thing on his mind ever since he'd laid eyes on Cody and that was how he was going to get the young man alone. They'd had a few minutes of privacy back at the Miller house but not the kind of privacy he needed to do all those naughty things he'd been wanting to do to his boyfriend for the past couple of hours.

'We're going to have to figure something out if we want to have any time alone' he murmured, leaning in to kiss Cody on the cheek.

Cody turned towards him and Liam caught his lips for a split second before Cody returned his gaze to the road ahead. 'We'll figure things out, don't worry' he said.

Liam sat back and his face grew serious. 'First things first' he declared. 'I need to make sure my mom's all right.'

'She will be' Cody said, reaching out to caress his boyfriend's hand. 'She's the strongest woman I know.'

'Tell me about it' Liam replied, suddenly thoughtful. 'But our parents are getting older and they're bound to have some health issues.'

'You're right. And we've got to get you sorted out for your parents' wedding. Do you know what you're going to wear?'

Liam shrugged in response; he didn't pay much attention to clothes. Unlike his dad, he lived his life mostly in sweats and jeans, although he looked amazing when he made the effort - at least, Cody thought so.

'We'll go shopping and get you something nice' Cody said as Liam scoffed.

'Sure' he finally said, unwilling to put up a fight.

They arrived on Meadowbrook Street and Liam looked up at the house: he was home. He hadn't been there since Christmas and yet, it looked as it always did. He noticed Cam's car in the driveway as well as Will's in front of the house.

'Looks like a full house for dinner!' he said.

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Despite the presently chaotic state of their busy lives, Neal was feeling relaxed and carefree by the time bedtime rolled around on Sunday night. There was nothing he enjoyed more than having his family all together, under the same roof, and dinner had been their first opportunity in a long time, to sit around the table and share an excellent meal together. Seeing Sara glowing as she sat next to Emily was the icing on the cake; she loved having her sister there and Neal lived to see his wife happy. To top it off, all three kids were in hight spirits: Hope and Cam were about to embark on the most amazing, life-changing experience of their life, Liam was finally home and reunited with the man he loved and Caitlin seemed to be on cloud nine as she enjoyed the early stages of what looked like a match made in heaven.

Adding to all the craziness, Mozzie had shown up unexpectedly (and uninvited) although he had a standing invitation to drop by and share a meal with the Caffreys anytime he wanted, something he took advantage of every chance he got. Liam had been thrilled to spend some time with his godfather after much too much time apart and the two men had spent the meal, chatting away about Liam's basketball season and his plans for the summer.

Neal just sat back and drank it all in - the happy faces, the laughter, the animated conversations; he couldn't ask for anything more. The only dark cloud on the horizon was Sara's imminent surgery but that would be behind them soon enough and they would be able to move on to celebrating much happier milestones: their wedding, their long awaited trip to the city of lights and the arrival of their first grandson.

At bedtime, there was a bit more traffic than usual as everyone jockeyed for their turn in the bathroom - but that was a small price to pay for having the family together, once again. Liam had settled into his room across from his parents, Caitlin had temporarily moved in to her old room at the end of the hall and Emily had taken up residence on the third floor.

'You look like the cat who swallowed the canary' Sara commented as Neal slipped into bed next to her.

'What?' he asked, feigning ignorance.

'You _know_ what, you big sap. You love it when the house is full' Sara replied, teasing him.

Neal shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. 'So what if I do?'

'It's cute, Caffrey. You're always so happy when the kids are all home' she said with a knowing smile.

'Yeah… I am' he murmured as he curled up against his wife. 'I love the sounds in the house when everybody's here. It's… comforting.'

Sara grinned at his response. 'Speaking of everybody being home, what are we doing for Liam's birthday next weekend?'

'He's worried you might not be well enough to go out to dinner… he says he just wants us all to be together, maybe have a barbecue in the backyard.'

'That sounds like Liam all right, always thinking of everybody but himself.'

'He loves you…' Neal said, growing serious. 'We all do. Whatever we end up doing, we'll have a great time, you'll see.'

Sara sighed loudly and Neal realized she'd moved on to thinking about something else - maybe work or perhaps her surgery, which was a mere three days away.

'I'm going to be off work for a while' she began. 'So, I was thinking I should have that little chat with Rebecca Hastings tomorrow. Did you still want to be there?'

'Yeah… of course' Neal said with a frown.

After Sara's little fainting spell two nights earlier, he'd been hoping she'd take the whole week off; just the thought of her passing out on the train on her way to work or crumbling to the ground while in a meeting with a room full of strangers had him terrified. At least, over the weekend, she'd been surrounded by family members who were all looking out for her; being in the workplace was a whole other kettle of fish.

'I was hoping you might want to take the next two days off to spend with Emily' he said. 'You know, Peter and I can deal with Rebecca Hastings.'

She turned to face him, scowling back at him. 'And how are you and Peter going to do that? You hardly know the woman. Anyway, I thought we'd agreed I was the best person to confront her.'

'You are… but…' Neal began, hesitant.

'So what happened to Ellis and Caffrey, huh?' she prodded.

'Nothing happened to _Caffrey and Ellis…_ ' he replied with a mischievous grin, trying to lighten the mood.

'Neal, I know what happened the other night was scary but I can't put my whole life on hold. We have to wrap up this case. I've already got Mr. Bosch breathing down my neck as it is. As a matter of fact, he asked me to stop by and give him a report first thing in the morning.'

'Honey, there's just a couple of days left before the surgery. Why not lay low and not put yourself in any… dangerous situations' he argued.

'Dangerous situations?' she repeated in disbelief. 'Neal, going to work isn't putting myself in a dangerous situation. And besides, I'm already going to have to take time off after the surgery, I can't afford to be away any more than that.'

'But what if you faint again?' he argued. 'What if you're alone in the elevator and you fall and hit your head… or what if you pass out on the street on the way to the train… or…'

'Neal! Neal! Stop it! I get it… I'm a walking time bomb' she said, growing annoyed.

'That's _not_ what I'm saying and you know it' Neal said, his tone more conciliatory.

He closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath; the last thing he wanted was to pick a fight with Sara at a time when she needed to remain calm.

'How about a compromise?' he suggested. 'I drive you to and from work and you don't jump down my throat if I… cling a little more than usual.'

Sara seemed to relax at the suggestion. 'Like how _much_ more than usual?' she asked warily.

Neal glared at her; he wasn't about to agree to anything he wasn't comfortable with.

'All right, fine' she relented. 'I guess it would be… reassuring not to have to worry about doing another face plant without a safety net.'

Neal smiled, satisfied with the compromise. He brought his lips to the tip of her nose, depositing a kiss. 'I like being your safety net…'

He flipped over onto his back and brought his arm up behind his head. 'So what are you planning on telling old man Bosch in the morning?' he asked.

'I think it's a little premature to tell him we suspect a connection with Rebecca, don't you?' she replied with a question of her own.

'I would just tell him we have a solid lead and that we hope to have something definitive by the middle of the week' Neal said as Sara nodded.

'You're right. The last thing we need is to have him confronting Rebecca before we get to the bottom of it' she agreed.

She let herself fall on her pillow, facing Neal and watching him, deep in thought. 'What is it? What's on your mind?'

He sighed and looked over at her, forcing a smile. 'Stuff…' he admitted. 'I'm still not sure what I want to do about… the drinking…'

Sara listened and nodded; she had yet to weigh in on the topic. So much was riding on his decision and yet, she didn't want to influence him one way or the other; only _he_ knew what felt right.

'It's… it's a tough call' she agreed. 'But I trust you… and like I said, I'll support you, whatever you decide.'

Neal grew quiet for a moment before continuing; apparently, he had other things on his mind.

'And I still don't know what to get Liam for a best man gift and we haven't even discussed what to give our guests' he continued.

'I was thinking we could give Liam and Hope the same thing' Sara proposed. 'We could get each of them a nice sterling silver frame and put in that picture we took at Hope's birthday… maybe get the frame engraved with our anniversary date.'

Neal hummed as he reflected. 'Silver _is_ the traditional gift for a twenty-fifth' he reasoned. 'And that is a really nice picture of the four of us. That could work.'

'And…' Sara added as she lay her head down on Neal's chest and brought her arm to rest around his waist. 'I had an idea for our guests. I saw something online that would be perfect.'

Neal craned his neck to look at her, eyebrows raised in expectation. 'Well, don't keep me guessing' he said as she stared back, looking smug.

'How about a sterling silver fortune cookie' she said as Neal's face lit up at the memory of his unorthodox proposal, all those years ago.

'It comes with a little hinge and you can put a message inside. We could put our names and our anniversary date on one side and on the other… well, we could have it inscribed with ' _Will you marry me?_ ' just like the one you gave me on the night you proposed.'

'Look at you with all these great ideas' Neal teased as a smile danced on his lips. He ran his hand up and down her arm. 'Your talents are wasted over there at Sterling Bosch. I think you should go into special events planning.'

'Oh, because El would love that' she said with a matching smile.

Neal seemed to relax; there was a lot to think about and to plan for but together, they would get through the next few weeks if they took things one day at a time. Sara caressed his chest mindlessly and her seemingly random touch elicited a familiar flutter of arousal deep in the pit of his stomach. At Sara's request, he'd refrained from acting on his impulses for almost two weeks - not exactly an olympic feat but still… he missed the feel of his wife's soft skin against his body and the sensation of her warm lips on his. He let out a soft groan and leaned down, letting his hands roam down her bare leg and biting her bottom lip seductively.

'Caffrey… don't start something you can't finish' she reminded him as he sighed and stared back at her.

'How about we just make out for a little while?' he murmured mischievously, rubbing his nose against hers. 'Just, nice and slow… nothing too strenuous… after all, you _do_ have your safety net.'

'Neal…' she giggled as he kissed her again, this time more forcefully.

She exhaled loudly, tempted to give in to her baser instincts; after all, it seemed like forever since they'd gotten down and dirty and who knew when they'd be getting back to their regularly scheduled extracurricular activities. Besides, there was always something especially naughty about making out when the house was full of people.

Sara brought her mouth down to capture Neal's nipple and bit down gently as he groaned.

'I'll take that as a yes' he murmured.

WCWCWC

'Ladies, welcome!' Elizabeth said as she opened the door on Monday morning to find Emily and Hope standing there.

'We come bearing gifts' Emily announced, handing over a bag of baked goods and a tray of coffee.

'I just pulled some blueberry scones out of the oven' El said, leading them into the kitchen. 'So I guess we'll have plenty of sustenance while we work.'

'How are you, sweetheart?' she asked, hugging her goddaughter. 'You look amazing.'

'I'm good, relieved that the dress buying ordeal is finally behind us' Hope said, pulling up a stool and struggling to hoist herself up on it.

'That dress you ended up buying looks incredible on you' Emily said.

'Now, if I can just keep from waddling down the aisle, I'll be all set' Hope interjected.

The main objective of their little get-together was to go over the menu and logistics for the party so they could present a full package to Neal and Sara for their approval. Between the three of them, they knew the couple's tastes and preferences pretty darn well and if they could avoid them having to go over every single, minute detail, all the better.

Hope had another agenda, however, and the idea she'd floated to Cam had been persistently percolating in her mind since the weekend. First chance she got, she exposed her proposal to her two aunties, who were both enthusiastic about the idea.

'Hope, that's a great idea' Elizabeth said. 'Your dad would be so touched.'

'Do you think your friend could help me with that?' the young woman asked.

'I'm sure he could… At the very least, he could help you make a prototype to give to your dad after the baby's born' she suggested.

'A prototype?' Hope asked.

'Yeah, if he thinks the book has merit, he'll want to have a prototype made to present to the publishing houses' El explained.

'I'd be glad to help with the lay-out if you want' Emily offered. 'I do all the art work for the artists guild's promotional material back in Chicago.'

'Really? That would be amazing' Hope enthused as her crazy idea took root.

'Let me start by calling Rhett' El said, grabbing for the phone.

'Rhett? Seriously?' Hope repeated.

'Hey, what can I say? His parents must have been romantics' she replied, looking up his number.

'You're calling him now?' Hope asked, surprised.

'No time like the present' she replied.

WCWCWC

Lydia Jordan's appearance at her boss's office door was pretty well a daily thing so when she knocked and peeked in, Sara wasn't the least bit surprised to see the younger woman standing there.

'Come on in' she called out from her desk.

'Brought you some coffee' Lydia said, stepping in and placing a couple of cups on Sara's desk.

'Thanks, I need it. It's been a crazy morning.'

'I guess you're trying to wrap things up before your surgery, huh? Any idea how long you'll be off work?'

Sara pulled her eyes away from her computer screen and settled her gaze on her friend, reaching for the cup of coffee and taking a sip.

'The doctor seems to think a week but I'm hoping I can come back next Monday, at least half-days.'

'You mean if Dr. Neal lets you out of the house' Lydia joked.

'Yeah… there _is_ that, I suppose' Sara replied, trying to make light of her worries.

Lydia had known her boss a long time and apparently Sara wasn't as good at hiding her emotions as she thought.

'It'll be fine, you'll see' Lydia said quietly, touching her friend's hand. 'And after it's all over, you'll be feeling a lot better and we won't all be worried about picking you up off the floor.'

Sara chuckled; laughing was better than crying.

'So, how are you doing with that secret mission old man Bosch has you working on?' Lydia asked for the umpteenth time.

'What secret mission?' Sara attempted, pretending to return her gaze to some random report lying on her desk.

'You are _so_ transparent. I know he's got you working on some top secret case' Lydia said. 'And I know Neal's involved, too. He's been hanging around here an awful lot lately.'

'Oh yeah, Miss Crystal Ball?' Sara teased. 'Maybe my husband just finds me irresistible.'

'Come on, Sara! I've been dying to know why you sent me across the ocean to look into that theft. I know there's more to it than just a simple recovery.'

Sara sighed. It was all coming to an end anyway and she knew Lydia was trustworthy; after all, the investigator had proven her loyalty and discretion on many occasions in the past. She took a deep breath and prepared to confide in the younger woman.

'You know those unresolved thefts we've had over the past year and a half?' Sara murmured.

'Yeah, sure. Everybody knows about them' Lydia replied as she spied the intense look in Sara's eyes. 'Are you saying it's not a coincidence, after all?'

Sara wagged her eyebrows. 'Someone's been targeting Winston Bosch, coordinating the thefts in an attempt to discredit him, make him look bad. Don't you think it's weird that none of that stuff has resurfaced… except for the tiara?'

'I suppose, but…'

In for a penny, in for a pound, Sara carried on with her explanation, relief flooding her. 'Mr. Bosch asked me to look into it. Off book. And he's hired Neal and Peter to help figure out who's behind the thefts.'

'And?'

Sara glanced around the room suspiciously, as if someone might be listening nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

'You _cannot_ repeat this to another living soul. Not even Sam… at least not until we get it all cleared up' Sara murmured.

'Promise' Lydia said, leaning in.

'We think Rebecca Hastings is Mr. Bosch's illegitimate daughter and that her mother is the one who's pulling all the strings so she can get revenge on him and ruin his reputation.'

'What? That's crazy!' Lydia whispered. 'Rebecca Hastings? His assistant? Does he know?'

'Not yet' Sara replied. 'But he admitted to us that he'd gotten one of his assistants pregnant years ago.'

'Wait a minute. Rebecca's _mother_ worked here… for old man Bosch?' Lydia asked, puzzled.

Sara nodded. 'About thirty years ago. She was Mr. Bosch's assistant too.'

Lydia couldn't help herself and she gave Sara a playful shove, almost knocking her off her chair.

'You're kidding. That's… that's crazier than any plot on a soap opera' Lydia exclaimed.

Sara scoffed. 'I'm planning on confronting Rebecca today, see if she'll cooperate with us. Neal and Peter have visited her mother and apparently the woman is totally loony tunes… and she's not well, physically, I mean. We're hoping Rebecca can get through to her and persuade her to come clean. Maybe, if she hands over the loot, Mr. Bosch won't press charges.'

'Oh my God! This is incredible. Why didn't you tell me before?'

'I shouldn't even be telling you now. I just can't take the secrecy anymore' Sara said, bringing her hand to her forehead.

'Are you all right? Are you feeling dizzy?' Lydia asked, suddenly concerned for her friend.

'No, no, I'm fine' Sara said. 'I just… I want this to be over with so things can get back to normal.'

'How can I help?' Lydia asked.

Sara smiled. 'You're doing it right now, just by listening. I guess the truth is I'm a little anxious about confronting her.'

'When are you…'

'I'm going to ask her to come by later on the pretext that I have a report for her boss. I'll talk to her then. And Neal… well, Neal's going to be here when I talk to her.'

'That's a good idea' Lydia said, touching Sara's arm.

There was silence for a moment and Lydia leaned in. 'Can you use some good news?' she asked as she began to fiddle with her phone.

Sara frowned in response and she glanced down at the photograph Lydia had produced of eight-year-old Beatrice, all decked out in a beautiful knee-length organza dress, pale pink with an ornate bow at the waist.

'Oh Lydia, she's beautiful!' Sara cried out, a smile breaking out on her face.

'Well, if she's going to be your flower girl, she needs to look the part, right?' Lydia declared with pride.

A shadow passed over Sara's face and Lydia brought her hand to rest on her boss' shoulder.

'It's going to be fine, Sara, you'll see. The surgery will be over before you know it and in a few weeks, we'll all be celebrating your wedding… 'til the wee, small hours of the morning.'

Sara nodded and smiled at the thought of better times ahead.

WCWCWC

Rebecca Hastings sat at her desk, preoccupied by the events of the past few days. Her mom had taken a turn for the worse, developing a fever and coughing relentlessly as she fought some unknown new assailant on her already ravaged body. She'd refused to go to the hospital and Rebecca had hauled out the nebulizer they kept in the back of the closet so she could inhale her meds with a mask, unable to use the usual asthma pumps.

Taking time off work wasn't really an option; her boss was a task master and Rebecca had enlisted the help of their next door neighbour, kindly Mrs. Maloney, to check in on Iris throughout the day while she was at work. The only silver lining was that her mom had temporarily set aside her vendetta; she was too sick and weak and she seemed to have momentarily forgotten about the gun that was still hidden in the kitchen cupboard by the sugar bowl.

Maybe this was the long-awaited turning point, an opportunity for Rebecca to persuade her mom to let go of this sick, twisted grudge of hers.

A girl could hope.

WCWCWC

Late afternoon at the Blue Skies Child Care Centre was a particularly busy time of day with parents picking up their children and the kids themselves, tired after a long day of spirited play. Caitlin sat on a tree stump in the playground with a toddler on each knee and three other children around her as she regaled the group with a story about a mama bear and her three little cubs.

The young woman had a gift for talking to children. Perhaps it was an extension of her own childlike view of the world or maybe it was her attempt at setting the world back on its axis after years of neglect - either way, she had the magic touch when it came to dealing with kids.

There was so much in her life to be thankful for: she loved her job and she was doing great with her classes at NYU. Will Allenby's arrival on the scene had only added another level of excitement to her already full and busy life. Caitlin had never been much of a believer in love at first sight, although the weekend she had just spent with the young man had challenged that belief. Besides the obvious physical attraction, she'd been drawn to Will's quiet demeanour and she was curious to find out what made him tick. He was kind and gentle but not overly serious or maudlin, a trait she clearly disliked in people and his offbeat sense of humour made him the sexiest thing on two legs.

She checked her watch, noting that her shift was over in another few minutes. Will would be waiting for her in the parking lot to whisk her away on their first official date: the traditional dinner and movie. She couldn't even remember what they'd finally settled on seeing and frankly, she didn't give a damn. All she could think of was sitting in a darkened theatre with Will tucked into her side, his warm body pushed up against hers.

'There's a woman here to see you' her co-worker announced, interrupting Caitlin's thoughts. 'I can take over for you.'

Caitlin frowned. Who, in heaven's name, would be visiting her at her place of work.

'Thanks Janie' she mumbled as she got to her feet and glanced over to the edge of the playground where she could see an intoxicated looking Jackie Somersby waving frantically to her as she held onto the chain-link fence for support.

Caitlin took a deep breath and made her way over, eager to keep her mother from making a scene.

'Mom!' she whispered loudly as she got nearer. 'This is where I work. What are you _doing_ here?'

'Honey…' the woman said, her voice slurred. 'You haven't been taking my calls.'

'That's right, Mom. Because I don't want to talk to you' Caitlin responded, feeling her emotions bubbling to the surface.

'Awww, baby, come on' Jackie said, grabbing onto Caitlin's shirtsleeve. 'It's me, sweetheart… don't turn me away…'

Caitlin fought the tears forming in her eyes; the woman got to her every single time. 'Mom! Stop it!' she said a little too loudly as she pulled away.

'I told you' she began again, getting her emotions under control. 'If you want a relationship with me, you need to show up sober. Now, leave me alone, Mom. This is my place of work and I don't want you here.'

'But honey…'

Caitlin turned on her heels, ignoring her mom's pleas and she ran inside the building to collect her things. She couldn't believe her mom had the nerve to show up unannounced and make a fool of herself in front of her co-workers. Anger warred with hurt as Caitlin grabbed her purse and turned towards the exit, walking straight into Will Allenby, standing there with a huge grin on his face.

'Hey! Am I too early?' he asked, growing serious as he got a good look at Caitlin's anguished face. 'What is it? What's wrong?'

She looked up at him, eyes full of tears, her body shaking.

'Oh, Will…' she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter** **32**

Geneva Maloney was a widowed pensioner with six cats. She lived a quiet life, watering her prized geraniums, attending quilting bees and helping out her neighbours whenever she could. She'd lived next to Iris Hastings most of her adult life, watching the woman raise her daughter on her own and admiring her for not needing a man in her life. Her own husband, Wilbur, had died four years earlier and except for her little menagerie, Geneva didn't have much to live for. She was only too happy to oblige when Rebecca Hastings had come knocking, asking her to check in on her sick mother. Rebecca had even given her a key to get in and out of the house without disturbing her mom in case she was napping.

'Iris?' Geneva called out as she walked into the Hastings home, cradling one of her cats against her chest.

The house was deathly quiet and she made the rounds starting with the kitchen and bathroom before moving to the bedroom where she fully expected to find the older woman sound asleep in her bed.

But she was nowhere to be found and all that remained on the bed were rumpled sheets.

'Iris?' she repeated as if the woman might jump out from underneath the bed.

'Oh dear, Mimosa' she said, stroking the calico cat, 'It looks like Iris isn't here.'

WCWCWC

'You sure you're all right?' Neal asked as he leaned back on the credenza in Sara's office and studied his wife's face.

She nodded unconvincingly and he took the few steps separating them, perching himself on the edge of her desk, and reaching out to gently stroke her cheek.

'You know you don't need to push yourself… if you're not up to it…' he murmured.

'Neal…' she replied with annoyance, turning to look away from him.

She moved out of his reach - annoyed with herself more than anything else. She hated not being at the top of her game and even more than that, she detested being coddled - even if her husband's intentions were good.

Neal got the message loud and clear, backing off and flashing her a reassuring smile instead.

There was a sharp knock on her office door and Sara's assistant popped her head in. 'Ms Ellis, Rebecca Hastings is here.'

Sara was immediately on her feet and Neal retreated, returning to the spot he'd been occupying earlier, off to one side of the office.

'Send her in' Sara said, her voice shaky.

'Ms Ellis…' Rebecca said as she stepped into the office.

The young woman had never actually been in Sara Ellis' office before. Sure, she'd picked up documents and reports from the insurance investigator on occasion but always from her assistant's desk in the outer office. She glanced around the room, noticing Neal standing there, looking somewhat out of place. Everybody at Sterling Bosch knew the man was Sara Ellis' husband and besides, he'd been in to see her boss a couple of times over the past few weeks. She smiled politely in his direction and Neal nodded in response.

'Rebecca' Sara said, suddenly sounding a lot more confident. 'I was wondering if I could have a word.'

The young woman seemed hesitant but she followed Sara over to the small table off in a corner of the office.

'I believe you've met my husband, Neal Caffrey' Sara said, pointing vaguely in Neal's direction.

'Hi… again' Rebecca said shyly as she took a seat across from Sara.

Neal didn't make a move to join them; he simply remained standing discreetly off to one side, intent on letting Sara run the show and simply act as backup if she needed him.

'Rebecca, there's something I need to discuss with you' Sara began. 'I know you've been working for Mr. Bosch for a little over a year now.'

Rebecca nodded. 'Eighteen months' she murmured.

'Eighteen months…' Sara repeated. 'And I know you've been privy to some confidential information up there in the executive offices.'

Sara took a deep breath and carried on. 'There have been a number of high profile thefts over the past year or so… thefts from some of our most elite clients.'

The young woman's eyes moved to Neal then back to Sara. She seemed confused, as if she had no idea where this conversation was going.

'Mr. Bosch has asked me… and Mr. Caffrey' Sara added, glancing at Neal. '…to investigate those thefts.'

Neal observed as the young woman's face grew pale, her hands moving nervously to rest on her lap.

'We think we've found a pattern linking all those thefts. We believe someone is coordinating all this in an effort to tarnish Mr. Bosch's reputation, to make him look bad in the eyes of the Board.'

'What… what does all that have to do with me?' Rebecca dared to ask, her face growing red.

'I'm not sure' Sara said, praying Rebecca would own up to her part in the subterfuge.

There was an awkward silence as the young assistant fidgeted in her chair and Neal held his breath, hoping Sara would refrain from speaking. As uncomfortable as the silence was, Sara kept staring at the young woman, willing her to speak up.

'Are you asking me if I have anything to do with all this?' Rebecca finally asked as Neal let out the breath he'd been holding.

Sara leaned in and smiled kindly at the younger woman. 'Do you?'

Rebecca's bottom lip began to quiver and she looked away, unable to hold Sara's gaze and both she and Neal knew they had her cornered. The silence was broken by a soft whimper coming from the young woman as she let her eyes roam back to her interrogator.

'I told her it was crazy' she sobbed, her body shaking.

Sara reached over for a box of tissues, placing it in front of the young woman. 'Is this your mom you're talking about?' she asked softly.

'Yes' Rebecca cried. 'She's not well, Ms Ellis. She doesn't realize what she's doing.'

'Did she tell you _why_ she's doing this?' Sara asked, reaching out to touch the woman's arm.

'Mr. Bosch… he's my… father' she admitted with a loud sob.

Of course, this wasn't news to the Caffreys and Sara managed to keep her gaze steady on the young assistant as she prepared to confess her part in the whole sordid affair.

'And your mom is angry about the way he treated her all those years ago?' Sara prodded.

Rebecca nodded, momentarily unable to speak. 'Yes, she… she came into some money and she… got this crazy idea that she could make his life miserable. I tried to convince her it was lunacy but…'

The sobbing grew louder and Neal exchanged worried looks with Sara; it was obvious Rebecca hadn't been totally on board with her mom's plan from the start and that she'd been a somewhat reluctant pawn in the older woman's quest for revenge.

The young assistant's eyes gazed up to look at Sara, tears running down her face. 'Please, please don't let them hurt her. She's sick, she's not well and… what he did to her all those years ago… it was wrong.'

Sara glanced over at Neal; she was taking no pleasure in watching the young woman self-destruct right before their eyes. She gave Neal a subtle head nod in the direction of their witness and Neal took a few tentative steps towards the two women, pulling up a chair next to Rebecca.

'Rebecca, Ms Ellis and I know you love your mother very much and that you don't want any harm to come to her but there's only one way this can be resolved and that's for her to come clean and admit what she's done' he explained patiently.

'She'll never agree to do that. She's… she's delusional. She hates Mr. Bosch for what he did to her and what she thinks he's done to me.'

Sara frowned as she reached out and touched the young woman's hand. 'Maybe if we talk to her together, we can help her understand that no good can come of this. This can only end badly for her - and for you.'

Rebecca shrugged; she was so confused. Although her mother's outlandish plan had not sat well with her from the very start, this was her mom they were talking about and she felt the need to stand by her, no matter what.

'Does _he_ know? Mr Bosch?' she asked, a worried look on her face.

'Not yet' Sara admitted. 'But we can't keep this from him much longer. This has to end, Rebecca.'

'I know' she said, tears streaming down her face. 'I just want this all to be over.'

This was the break they'd been waiting for and both Neal and Sara knew they needed to act quickly if they didn't want to lose momentum. Furthermore, they needed to tread lightly to keep things from imploding; after all, this was a very emotionally charged situation for both the Hastings women and they deserved to be treated with respect.

'What do you say we come home with you and have a talk with your mom' Neal suggested, his voice even. 'Let's see if we can find a way to resolve this without anyone getting hurt.'

Rebecca stared back, still in shock yet, Neal couldn't help but notice a small glimmer of relief in her eyes. 'You're not calling the police, are you?'

Neal shook his head. 'No, we're not. Not yet. Let's just sit down and talk to your mom first and try to figure things out.'

'But… will she go to jail?' Rebecca asked, getting increasingly upset.

'I can't answer that' Sara explained calmly. 'But once we've got all the facts, perhaps we can sit down with Mr. Bosch and see if we can find a solution that doesn't involve having your mom arrested.'

Sara's words seemed to appease the young woman and she wiped her nose as Neal and Sara exchanged knowing looks. Having Rebecca on side when they confronted Iris Hastings could only help bring this whole mess to a peaceful resolution.

'So… when do we… do this?' the young woman asked, searching Sara's eyes.

Sara glanced over at Neal who nodded almost imperceptibly and she knew what he was thinking.

'Why don't we go back with you to your house and we can have a chat there' she suggested.

'But my things are up in my office' Rebecca whimpered.

Sara got to her feet, taking the young woman's elbow. 'That's all right. Come on, we'll go up with you.'

WCWCWC

Will and Caitlin made their way back to the car in relative silence. He knew enough about her to know that Caitlin wasn't usually given to emotional outbursts; she obviously needed a few moments to gather her thoughts and he was only too happy to give her the time she needed.

By the time they settled in the front seat of Will's car, Caitlin had composed herself. She felt like an idiot for having dissolved into tears the moment she'd laid eyes on him - although he hadn't seemed the least bit bothered that she'd thrown herself in is arms in a quest for comfort.

He turned to face her, his arm up around the back of the passenger seat; he wasn't about to let this go despite the fact she'd been adamant that nothing was wrong.

'So… do you want to tell me what this is all about?' he asked sweetly.

Caitlin stared back, eyes red, and she shook her head no.

'Come on, Blondie' he said with a gentle smile, doing his best to coax her into talking. 'You listened to me complain about my dad all the way up to Syracuse, the least you can do is trust me enough to tell me what's got you so upset.'

Living on her own for most of her life had taught Caitlin Somersby the importance of looking out for herself. She'd been shocked to find, upon moving in with the Caffreys, that there were people out there who actually cared for the welfare of others and who did things just to support those they loved - without any ulterior motive. But it was still a relatively new concept and when things got rough, her gut reaction was to close herself off from the rest of the world and try to figure things out by herself.

Will waited a moment in silence and moved his arm away, tucking it up against his chest as he crossed his arms resolutely.

'Fine' he said stubbornly. 'I can wait as long as it takes for you to start talking.'

Caitlin looked over at him suspiciously. 'I thought we had dinner reservations at 6:30' she argued, her voice quiet.

He glanced over at her, a defiant look in his eyes. 'So? Screw our dinner reservations. We're not going anywhere until you tell me why you're so upset.'

She looked away and swallowed, nervously twirling the tips of her blond locks, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the young man. He reached out for her hand, holding it in his and forcing her to stop fidgeting.

'Caitlin…' he said softly.

Her eyes rose to meet his and they were once again full of unshed tears.

'Why do you care?' she asked.

'Because… well, because I do' he replied, unable to find a better answer. 'Why did _you_ care about me… when I told you about my father?'

'Because… because you're sweet and kind and I could tell you were suffering' she answered without much hesitation.

He gave her a look of exasperation, his eyebrow raised. 'And I'm not allowed to worry about you?' he countered.

'I'm not used to… I mean I've been on my own most of my life and I'm not used to having somebody… fussing over me.'

'Well, you don't _have_ to be on your own, Caitlin. Surely, you know that from hanging around the Caffreys. I know I do.'

Caitlin snickered nervously.

'Fine, I'll tell you' she muttered softly without looking at him. 'It's my mom.'

Caitlin had always been secretive about her life before she'd moved in with the Caffreys and all those years Will had hung around their place, he'd never bothered to ask about her family situation. He knew from Liam that she'd been in foster care most of her life and he'd incorrectly assumed her parents weren't in the picture.

'Your mom…' he repeated.

Caitlin nodded. 'She's… she's been in and out of jail since I was five years old and when she came out the last time, she got in touch and she asked to see me.'

Will leaned in, turning his body towards her and listening in silence.

'She's a drunk and a junkie' Caitlin said, her voice growing angry. 'And every time I reach out to her… I get burned.'

Emotion was rising in her voice as she spoke and Will moved his hand back to rest on her shoulder. He could see tears forming again despite her resolve to stay strong.

'I'm sorry' he whispered, his voice sober.

A frown appeared on Caitlin's face as she looked over at Will. 'She… she conned her way back into my life and she tried to convince me she could be a mother to me… that we could have a normal mother daughter relationship. But she keeps fucking it up and acting like a moron… getting high, getting drunk…'

The kindness in Will's eyes was comforting and Caitlin felt compelled to continue with her impromptu confession.

'I've given her tons of chances… A few weeks ago, I finally got fed up and I told her I didn't want to have anything to do with her when she's drunk or high but… she just showed up back there, just before my shift ended and she was higher than a kite.'

'Oh…' Will muttered as he clued into the situation.

'Will, can we please go?' she pleaded as she wiped her eyes. 'Look, you can't fix this… and I just want to forget about it for a while and go out like we planned.'

'Maybe I can't fix it, but I can listen. We can just sit here and talk or we can go for a walk somewhere…' he suggested.

'No!' she said decisively. 'I really want to go… I don't want to give her any more power than she already has. I want to… can't we just go out and have a nice evening like we'd planned?'

Will sighed; he hated seeing her so distraught. 'If that's what you want… I just want you to know you can talk to me about this… you can talk to me about anything.'

Caitlin nodded resolutely and blew her nose, reverting to her self-assured self.

'You'd better hurry' she complained. 'That place gets packed and they'll probably give our table to someone else if we don't get there on time.'

Will turned to face the wheel; at this point, he figured he wasn't going to get much more out of her. At least, she'd trusted him enough to tell him what was on her mind.

And that, he decided, was good enough for now.

WCWCWC

Iris Hastings coughed roughly as she entered the building on West 56th Street. She was all bundled up in a warm coat despite the mild late spring day, her arms pulled up tightly against her chest as she walked up to the building's directory.

'38th floor' she murmured to herself as she made her way to the elevators.

It was late afternoon and there was some traffic in the lobby as the early birds began to leave work, eager to get back to their lives. She slipped into the elevator next to a man in a three piece suit, clutching a briefcase and she glanced at him as he studied her. Granted, she didn't really look like she belonged with her stringy hair and flushed, feverish face; she was beyond caring and she stared straight ahead, slipping her hand into her pocket and feeling the grip of the handgun she'd tucked in there for safekeeping.

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

It was past three o'clock when Hope stepped out into the sunshine following her weekly appointment at the speech clinic. Ever since her visit with Dr. White, she'd been feeling much more relaxed and her speech pathologist had commented on how well she was doing. The breathing exercises she'd been given were really helping and, now that she'd been reassured that her anxiety wasn't related in any way to her brain injury, Hope had begun to relax, intent on enjoying the last few weeks of her pregnancy… although the term 'enjoying' might be up to interpretation.

She was still a little over four weeks from her due date and sometimes, Hope thought this pregnancy would never end. With every passing day, she felt more and more uncomfortable, her ankles were swollen to the size of bowling balls, she had horrible indigestion and sleep was increasingly elusive. Except for her thriving sex life, there wasn't all that much to enjoy at the moment. She had begun the predictable nesting phase, her attention focussed on getting everything ready in the baby's room, just in case…

She was just a few feet from the car when she felt the now familiar spasm at the bottom of her belly, that tight feeling that always made her stomach rock hard. She was getting used to the contractions and she slowed the pace, rubbing her hand over her taut belly and breathing deeply while she waited for the odd sensation to pass.

Hope settled in behind the wheel, bringing the seat back as far as it would go; she better have this baby soon or she wouldn't be able to drive the car anymore, she reflected. She grabbed for her phone and dialled the familiar number, thrilled to hear her baby's brother voice on the other end for a change.

'Hey sis, did you get it?' he asked.

'I'm just on my way to pick it up right now. Are Mom and Dad home?' she replied.

'No, Dad just called and said they'd be late so you're safe. Uncle Mozzie's here, though' he added.

'Okay, I should be there in about an hour. Do you need me to pick up any food?' she asked.

'No, we're making pasta' Liam responded. 'Bring your appetite.'

'See you soon' she said before hanging up.

WCWCWC

Thankfully, the ride up to the 38th floor was short. Rebecca Hastings was still shaky although she'd managed to reign in her emotions, looking stoically ahead as she rode up, flanked by Neal and Sara. The couple exchanged worried looks; although they seemed to have the daughter on side, it was anybody's guess how Iris Hastings would react when they finally confronted her.

Neal had the additional worry of keeping an eye on his wife; she'd done an amazing job getting Rebecca to confess but he knew she wasn't feeling her best. Hopefully, she wasn't pushing herself too hard in her present condition; the memory of finding her passed out at the bottom of the stairs still haunted him and he didn't want a repeat performance.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, revealing an empty lobby except for the commissionaire, sitting at his desk. The man glanced up as the doors opened and smiled in recognition as the trio strolled past him, headed for the executive suites.

'Are you all right?' Sara asked as she brought her hand to rest on Rebecca's back.

The young woman nodded in silence and forged ahead, determined.

WCWCWC

Mozzie looked up over the rim of his wine glass from his seat at the kitchen table. 'What is it she's bringing over?' he asked.

'It's our gift for Mom and Dad's anniversary' Liam replied as he busied himself with the pasta sauce.

'What did you end up getting them?' Mozzie asked.

'Hope found this place that makes personalized garden stones' Liam said with a look of satisfaction. They'd searched high and low for something meaningful to give to their parents to mark the auspicious occasion.

'What? You're giving them _rocks_ as an anniversary gift?' Mozzie said, looking less than impressed.

'No!' Liam said, curtly. 'Beautiful garden stones - with the names of the people who mean the most to Mom and Dad. We thought we'd use them to line the path to the trellis Aunt Elizabeth is having made and then, after the ceremony, we can put them out in the garden for them to enjoy.'

Mozzie frowned, obviously not getting the point.

Liam shook his head, giving up. 'They're beautiful. You'll see when she gets here.'

'So where's Cody?' Mozzie asked. 'I thought you two would be joined at the hip now that you're back.'

A smile appeared on Liam's lips at the mention of his lover's name. 'He had an exam this aft but he should be here in a little while.'

'So… you too still going strong, huh?'

Liam looked over shyly but the smile was still obvious. 'Yeah… we are.'

'He's a good guy' Mozzie stated unequivocally.

Liam's thoughts drifted to his best friend. 'I just wish Will would find someone special. He's been on his own since Josie dumped him.'

'I thought your dad said Will had started dating Caitlin' Mozzie commented.

The smile on Liam's face melted. 'What?' Mozzie asked as Liam rolled his eyes.

'She wouldn't have been _my_ first choice for him, Uncle Moz' he admitted.

'Aw, come on. Caitlin's all right. She's had a rough life, that's all.'

'I suppose…' Liam mused, pouring himself a glass of wine and joining his godfather at the table. 'But Will is a really sweet, trusting guy and Caitlin is… well, she's loud and she can be obnoxious.'

Mozzie looked over at his godson with a look of skepticism. 'Have you _met_ your parents?' he asked facetiously. 'Besides, _I'm_ loud and obnoxious' he reminded him as Liam chuckled.

'That's true, you are' he agreed as he lifted his glass in a toast. 'Here's to loud and obnoxious people… may they find love.'

WCWCWC

'Rebecca? Is that you?' Winston Bosch called out as he heard the door to the outer office close.

'Rebecca?' he repeated in response to the silence that followed.

He craned his head, seeing no one in the outer office despite the soft rustling of clothing he could clearly hear. He got to his feet and manoeuvred around his desk, preparing to investigate. He was halfway to the door when someone appeared in the doorway to his office, a woman he didn't recognize.

'Can I help you with something?' Bosch asked as the woman continued all the way into his office.

She turned to close the door behind her and faced him, her face flushed and her hands shaking.

'I should have known you wouldn't even recognize me' she uttered softly. 'You arrogant son of a bitch.'

He frowned, genuinely confused. Had she just called him a son of a bitch?

'Look, I don't know who you are but I don't appreciate —'

' _You_ don't appreciate…' she repeated mockingly. 'That's rich coming from you, Winston…considering the way _you_ treated _me_.'

He stared back, perplexed, as he tried to figure out who she was and what she wanted. Her wild eyes darted around the room and she began to move around the space, examining everything as she went.

'It must be nice to come to work in such a nice office environment' she commented, moving towards him and running her trembling fingers along the expensive oak desk.

He studied her; there was something familiar about the woman although he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was about her that was so familiar… her voice, her eyes.

'Have we met?' he asked as he walked over to stand behind his desk, creating some space between himself and the intruder.

She laughed diabolically and he frowned at her unusual response. 'You _could_ say that' she said. 'You could say we've had… several close encounters… of the carnal kind.'

Suddenly, the light went on as he recognized her from all those years ago.

'Iris…' he said breathlessly.

She looked at him and gave him a mock round of applause, a sick, twisted smile on her lips.

'Bravo, Winston! Bravo!' she shouted.

'Iris… I…'

'Surprised to see me?' she asked. 'Guess I've changed a little since we last saw each other.'

Winston Bosch stood motionless, eyes glued on the woman.

She coughed wetly and held her stomach as she recuperated from the violent hacking fit.

'That's what happens when you get dumped and left to fend for yourself by your lover' she spat out vehemently. 'I'm afraid I haven't aged quite as well as you have.'

He listened; he couldn't very well defend his actions. He knew all too well that his behaviour back then had been reprehensible.

'You're a man of your word, I'll give you that' she continued, strolling over to stand by the plate glass window and glancing out at the street below. 'You told me you'd make sure I didn't work again and you were right. It took me years to find a job; a pitiful job as a cleaner in a hospital. But of course, I had your child to raise so I couldn't be picky.'

'What is it you want?' he asked.

'What I want? What I want is to see you suffer, Winston. Just like I suffered all those years, trying to scrape by while you carried on screwing your assistants and building up your reputation as a brilliant business man and a devoted husband and father.'

He shook his head; he was still reeling from the shock of having her show up so unexpectedly. He had a fleeting thought for the troubles that had been plaguing him, quickly dismissing any possible link between his woes and her sudden appearance. Surely, his recent troubles with the Board couldn't possibly have anything to do with her. Whoever was coordinating those thefts had to have the means to carry them out and by all appearances, Iris Hastings was not in any position to carry out such a feat.

He watched as she slipped her hand in her pocket and suddenly she was holding something shiny in her hand. It took him a moment to fully comprehend what his eyes were seeing. Despite the shock, he took a step back, trying to make his way back to the door.

'Stop!' she cried out loudly. 'You're not going anywhere until I say so. You're not in charge here, Winston.'

'Iris, this is crazy…' he began as she started to laugh loudly.

She was hit with another coughing fit but she kept her eyes on him, the gun shaking in her trembling hand. 'You're right, it _is_ crazy. _I'm_ crazy. I'm sick, Winston. As a matter of fact, I'm dying. So, you see, I don't have much to lose.'

'What is it you want from me, Iris?' he asked once more.

'I want to see you squirm. I want to see you suffer' she said as she pointed the gun directly at his face.

'Stop it. This is ridiculous' he said, bringing his hand up to cover his face in a futile attempt to protect himself.

'SHUT UP!' she cried out as she began to cough violently once again.

Winston Bosch took advantage of the distraction and was just about to take another step when voices were heard right outside his office door.

WCWCWC

'Oh! I get it now!' Mozzie exclaimed as he examined the decorative garden stone.

It was a large, flat stone with colourful flowers and a hummingbird painted on as well as the words ' _Love Grows Here_ ' engraved across it.

'Great job, sis!' Liam said as he ran his hand across the smooth surface.

'Did you paint this yourself?' Mozzie asked, turning to look at Hope.

'I did the artwork but this place did all the engraving' she explained. 'And if you lay them all out, they form a dragonfly.'

'All?' Mozzie said.

'There are nine all together' Hope explained. 'They're in the car' she added looking over at her brother expectantly.

'Here' Liam said, handing her the wooden spoon he'd been using. 'You take over with the sauce and Uncle Mozzie and I will go out and get them.'

She took the spoon and gave the pasta sauce a cursory stir, setting it aside and electing instead to open the fridge and help herself to a glass of the homemade iced tea her dad always kept on hand.

'You sure Mom and Dad won't show up in the next little while?' Hope called out when she heard them returning.

The two men reappeared each carrying several heavy boxes and laid them on the kitchen table with a loud sigh.

'Dad said they both had a meeting and to go ahead and have dinner without them' Liam explained as he began unpacking each box.

'Awww' he said with a fond smile. 'There's a little basketball motif on mine.'

Mozzie kept unpacking each box and Hope instinctively knew what he was looking for.

'Don't worry Uncle Moz. There's one for you… and for Uncle Peter and Aunt Elizabeth.'

'Hope, I think they forgot to engrave one' Liam commented, lifting up a smaller stone that was blank except for a small decorative rocking horse tucked away in the corner.

'That one's for the baby' Hope said as she glanced over her shoulder. 'Until I can get Cam to commit to a name, we're going to have to leave it blank.'

'What's up with that, anyway?' Liam asked, taking the seat next to her. 'I thought, considering you've asked me to be his godfather that 'Liam Jr.' was a shoo-in' he teased.

Hope rolled her eyes. 'You have no idea how many names we've discussed' she replied. 'Although, we _have_ narrowed it down to three.'

Mozzie took a seat and leaned forward, interested in hearing more. 'Theodore?' he asked, hopeful.

Hope chuckled. 'Sorry Uncle Moz, no Theodore.'

'Well, don't keep us waiting' Liam said expectantly.

'I'm not going to tell you…' Hope said, returning to stirring the sauce. 'Not until we've made a final decision.'

Her face lit up and she turned to face the two men. 'I _will_ give you a scoop though… if you promise not to tell.'

Mozzie and Liam nodded enthusiastically as Hope sat down, leaning in as she shared her secret.

'We're giving him Dad's name… as a middle name but don't tell him, it's a surprise' she whispered.

Liam smiled and nodded. 'He's gonna be thrilled' he agreed.

'So, just to be clear' Mozzie said with a frown. 'That's a definite no to Theodore?'

WCWCWC

Rebecca Hastings stepped into her office and walked over to the filing cabinet behind her desk, pulling out a key from her pocket and inserting it in the lock. Neal and Sara stood just inside the door waiting patiently as the young woman pulled out her purse from the cabinet and prepared to follow them out.

They could hear voices coming from Mr. Bosch's office - a woman's voice, followed by a man's voice she recognized as that of her boss. Whoever it was seemed to be having an animated discussion and Rebecca glanced down at her computer screen, ostensibly to shut down her system before leaving for the day.

'That's strange…' she murmured as she read something on the screen.

'What is it?' Sara asked, moving to stand beside her.

'Mr. Bosch didn't have any appointments this afternoon' she explained as she glanced towards the door separating the two spaces.

Neal and Sara exchanged confused looks.

'I should make sure he doesn't need anything before I leave' Rebecca said, moving towards the door which separated her work space from her boss' office.

She was just about to open the door when the woman's voice was heard, shouting.

'SHUT UP!' they heard.

Rebecca immediately recognized the voice and she didn't hesitate, pushing the door wide open, her mouth dropping as she witnessed the scene before her eyes. Her boss was standing behind his desk, motionless with a look of consternation on his face and off to the side was her mom, looking like death warmed over, brandishing, of all things, a gun in her hands.

'MOM!' she called out as Neal and Sara followed her into the inner sanctum.

Iris Hastings looked over to see what all the ruckus was about, her hand faltering for a moment before she got a firm hold of the pistol and raised it once again in the direction of her ex-lover.

'Rebecca…' Iris murmured as she glanced in the direction of the newcomers.

'Mom?' Winston Bosch repeated under his breath, stunned.

'Honey, this has nothing to do with you' Iris said as she looked briefly towards her daughter. 'You need to leave me alone with your father. I have things I need to say to him.'

The words resonated in Winston Bosch's muddled mind. _Mom?… your father?…_ This couldn't be happening.

'What the…' he began ineffectually before he was stunned into silence once more.

Rebecca moved deeper into the room and Sara followed her while Neal stood, dumbstruck in the doorway to the office. This was not how they'd planned on doing this - not even close.

'Mom, listen to me. This is crazy. I know you don't really want to hurt anyone' Rebecca pleaded.

Iris coughed roughly, managing to keep the gun pointed at Winston Bosch despite the temporary loss of self-control.

She caught her breath. 'Rebecca, you know more than anyone how much I've suffered… how much _you've_ suffered. We can't let him get away with it.'

'Mom, we can talk this out' Rebecca begged. 'There has to be another way.'

Neal surveyed the situation, assessing his options. Winston Bosch was looking totally shocked, staring blankly at the gun that was being waved in his face. Sara and Rebecca were huddled together to one side, facing Rebecca while he stood closer to the door, unwilling to move for fear he might set Iris off. The older woman hadn't really paid much attention to him yet and he feared that if she did, she might recognize him as the kindly FBI agent who'd paid her a visit the previous week. He took a moment to study his wife's face; she seemed calm despite the dire situation they were in and Neal let out a slow breath, willing his heart to stop pounding.

Sara glanced over at her boss, the proverbial deer in the headlights. Iris, whom she'd never met before, seemed unsteady on her feet, looking like she could be brought down with a gentle breeze. The older woman's eyes were wild; she was obviously running a high fever as evidenced by the flush on her cheeks and the sweat on her forehead, visible even from across the room. Sara brought her hand to Rebecca's arm in an effort to ground her; the last thing they wanted was for the young woman to go off half-cocked and have the gun discharge randomly.

'Iris…' Sara said, her voice calm. 'My name is Sara Ellis and I work with your daughter.'

'I know who you are' Iris said, her voice angry.

'Why don't you give me the gun and we can all sit down and talk this out' Sara said as calmly as she could manage.

Neal cringed as Sara took a step forward and the gun's aim shifted from Winston Bosch over to his wife.

'Don't move!' Iris shouted. 'Nobody move! I need time to think.'

Sara glanced over in Neal's direction, noticing his ashen face staring back at her. He was afraid of what the woman might do if she recognized him but, thankfully, Iris' attention seemed focussed elsewhere - at least for the time being. Iris' eyes kept shifting back and forth between Sara and Winston Bosch, the gun still shaking menacingly in her hand.

Sara could feel her heart pounding in her chest; she prayed the old ticker wouldn't let her down now. She took in a deep breath, willing her heart rate to slow down. The older woman began gagging again and Rebecca took advantage of the distraction to lean forward to speak in Sara's ear.

'There aren't any bullets in that gun' she whispered as Sara turned to look at her, stunned at the revelation. 'I took them out and I doubt she's even noticed.'

'Are you sure?' Sara asked under her breath.

Rebecca nodded gently as Iris recovered from her coughing fit and returned to staring unblinkingly at Winston Bosch.

'You have no idea what you've put us through' Iris shouted. 'You're a horrible, despicable human being who uses people and throws them away. Look at her!' she screamed. 'Look at your beautiful daughter.'

Bosch's gaze moved to look at Rebecca, noticing for the first time how she had her mom's gorgeous eyes - how had he never noticed that before?

'I'm sorry Iris' he mumbled ineffectually.

Sara took another tentative step, intent on getting the weapon out of the woman's hands. Emboldened by the information Rebecca had just shared, she bridged the distance between herself and Iris Hastings.

'Iris, please' Sara said, her hand reaching out. 'Give me the gun.'

'Sara…' Neal warned breathlessly as he watched in horror.

'It's okay, Neal' she replied cryptically although he couldn't fathom in what universe she thought it was okay to try to tackle someone who was aiming a gun directly at her.

Iris' eyes grew even wilder and everyone held their collective breath as Sara took another step, then another.

'Sara, don't…' Neal repeated, terrified.

But Sara kept walking towards the gun, undaunted, as the sound of the gun being cocked was heard resonating in the quiet room.

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Will glanced down at his watch and grinned. 'Looks like we missed the movie' he commented.

Caitlin's smile broadened; she'd been smiling all evening, it seemed. 'That's okay. This is much nicer that any movie, anyway.'

'Feeling better?' he asked, filling her glass with the last of the bottle of Pinot noir they'd ordered to enjoy with their meal.

'Much. Thank you' she replied. 'Have you ever thought about going into counselling? I think you'd be a terrific therapist or a healer of some sort.'

'Oh yeah? A healer, huh? I kinda like that idea. It would be gratifying to know you're helping ease someone's suffering' he said with a faraway look in his eyes. 'Certainly more gratifying than trying to find a legal precedent to get some white collar criminal or heaven forbid an abuser or a murderer off the hook.'

'Is that how you see law?' she asked, her face growing serious.

'Criminal law… the kind my dad practices' he replied. 'And the kind he wants _me_ to specialize in.'

Caitlin studied Will's face as it grew anguished once more. Whenever they broached the subject of his father, he seemed to get uptight, his usually relaxed demeanour evaporating into thin air.

'I don't get it, Will. You're such a resourceful, intelligent guy. Why are you letting someone else dictate your future?'

Will sighed, growing uncomfortable with the topic. Caitlin had a way of challenging him and forcing him to look deep inside himself, something he'd been more than happy to avoid doing over the past couple of years.

'I told you…' he sighed. 'If I knew what I _really_ wanted, I would fight for it but… it's not that clear so it's just easier to go with the flow… and keep the old man off my back.'

'Has he ever even bothered to ask you what _you_ want to do with your life?'

Will scoffed. 'It's obvious you've never met my father' he said dryly. 'For him, it's a binary choice. I either become a lawyer and make him proud or I don't and he'll be devastated — and, believe me, that's a mild term.'

Caitlin listened intently. Will's dad might have good intentions for his son but she couldn't believe the man hadn't noticed the uncertainty and anguish in his son's eyes as he struggled with making those all important life choices.

'What would he do if you told him you were unhappy studying law and wanted to change your major?' she asked.

'Probably tell me to suck it up and stop being a wuss' Will said coldly.

'The last time I checked, being caring and sensitive didn't make you a wuss, it made you the kind of man anyone would be proud to call a friend' Caitlin said softly.

Will was looking increasingly uncomfortable with the touchy subject. Even though her words seemed to be having a profound effect on the young man, the last thing she wanted was to alienate him by being too pushy — a trait she knew she possessed in spades. She'd always been opinionated, it was a matter of life and death in her world where up until recently, she'd had to look out for herself.

She reached out to touch his hand lightly. 'I hope I'm not… overstepping. It's just hard for me to understand why you'd keep doing something you obviously don't enjoy, that's all.'

'It's okay…' Will said, eyes downcast.

He downed the last of the wine in his glass and returned his gaze to her, a smile on his lips. 'So… dessert?' he asked, changing the subject.

'Hell, yes!' Caitlin enthused as she grabbed for the dessert menu the waitress had left for their perusal.

'Are you a chocolate kind of guy?' she asked as she looked over the choices.

'Hell, yes!' he repeated in the same tone of voice she'd just used.

'I _knew_ we were compatible' she said with a playful laugh. 'So, we've got something called fudge overload, a peanut butter and chocolate pie and oooh, brownie explosion…'

'Yes, yes and yes' Will replied with a naughty smile.

'I like the way you think, Will Allenby.'

WCWCWC

By 5:30, the group around the kitchen table in the Caffrey house had grown to include Cody, Cameron and Emily and everyone banded together as they endeavoured to prepare a feast fit for a king - or at least for a Caffrey. It was great to all be together again and despite Neal and Sara's temporary absence, there was a definite festive feeling in the air.

Emily and Hope worked together on preparing a salad, Mozzie busied himself with setting the table and Liam remained standing by the stove, overseeing the meal preparation as he threw some pasta into a large pot of boiling water.

'We hid them under some tarps' Cam announced as he and Cody returned from hiding the anniversary gift in the garage.

'Thanks babe' Liam said as he leaned in to place a kiss on Cody's lips.

'So where _are_ Neal and Sara anyway?' Emily asked.

'They should be home soon. They had to stay late for some meeting' Liam explained.

'Since when do your parents go to the same meetings?' Emily asked.

'Mom and Dad are working on a case together over at Sterling Bosch' Hope explained, although her understanding of the situation was limited to knowing that her mom had enlisted her dad's help in cracking some case that had her stumped.

'I think your uncle Peter is working with them too' Cam added as he took a seat next to Hope.

'That sounds… intriguing' Emily said. 'Does that happen a lot? Your mom and dad working together on a case?'

Hope shrugged. 'Not really… but lately, they've been acting like newlyweds and with Mom's surgery coming up… well, Dad's been sticking to her like glue.'

'Lately?' Mozzie commented with a smirk. 'I've known your parents since before you two were born and I can't think of time when they _didn't_ act like newlyweds.'

Emily smiled; over the past few years, she'd gotten to know her brother-in-law and from what she could see, her sister had really hit the jackpot in the husband department.

'So, maybe we should talk about what happens when your mom comes home from the hospital later this week' she suggested. 'I'm planning to stay until the weekend. Knowing your mom, she'll need somebody to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't overdo it.'

There was a murmur as everyone agreed with her statement.

'I cleared my schedule at the gallery so _I_ can be here too' Hope added.

'And I don't start my job at the garden centre until next week' Liam chimed in. 'So I'll be home.'

'Knowing your dad, he'll probably be hanging around more than usual, too' Mozzie added.

They all looked at each other, realizing there was an embarrassment of riches as far as support for Sara while she recuperated - something she would likely perceive as smothering and would absolutely loathe.

'Okay…' Liam finally said as he looked around at the group. 'You know Mom's really gonna freak out if we all start hanging around here.'

'So what do we know exactly… about recuperating from this kind of surgery?' Cody asked.

'She'll need to be off work for about a week so the incision can heal properly' Liam explained.

'And from what I've read, she'll need to be careful that the leads they implant heal properly so she shouldn't move her left arm too much at first' Hope added.

There was a collective sigh as they all imagined trying to reign Sara in and keep her from overdoing things. It would be a challenging task to say the least but between them, they would find a way to keep her from overexerting herself.

'So… how about some garlic bread?' Liam cried out, attempting to change the mood.

'I'm on it!' Cam shouted as he got to his feet.

WCWCWC

The uneasy silence in Winston Bosch's office belied the intensity of emotions as everyone stood at attention, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Iris Hastings' eyes were glazed over, no doubt from the fever she was running and adrenaline coursed through her body as she unexpectedly held a bunch of people at gunpoint.

To be honest, she wasn't sure what she'd been thinking when she'd made the impulsive decision to grab the firearm and jump into a taxi, headed for the Manhattan high-rise. All she knew was that this feeling of helplessness had to end; she was tired of being the victim and she wanted to take matters into her own hands once and for all, make this man face up to what he'd done to her and her daughter. The last thing she'd expected while she was sitting in that cab was to be holding a group of people hostage.

'Iris…' Sara said again, her voice soft. 'You don't want to do this.'

Winston Bosch stood, totally riveted, bewildered by the turn of events. Not only was a crazed woman standing in his office, pointing a gun at him, but he'd just found out that the young woman who'd been working by his side for the past year and a half was, in fact, his daughter.

Neal remained motionless throughout the standoff; he knew all too well that a sudden movement on anyone's part might trigger a chain of events that could have devastating consequences for everyone involved. He thought fleetingly of that moment, years before, when he and Hope had interrupted a robbery at the gallery and how the gun toting thief had gotten spooked, his gun discharging right into Neal's belly, while Hope watched in horror.

Despite his resolve not to spook the older woman, he was faced with the fact that Sara, his beautiful, crazy wife, was standing right in the line of fire. He couldn't stand idly by and watch her fall prey to the deranged woman and he began to glance around the room, evaluating sight lines and the likelihood that he could sneak up on Iris Hastings from behind. His eyes returned to Sara who had taken yet another step, slowly bridging the gap between herself and Iris who had cocked the gun and was aiming it straight at her.

Incredibly, Iris Hastings remained relatively calm, her eyes blinking as she fought back tears and Neal took advantage of the woman's state of confusion to take a step himself, sliding along the wall to his right and out of the woman's sight.

Rebecca's eyes followed him as he slithered, his back up against the wall, and Neal prayed that Iris wouldn't track her daughter's gaze and catch on to the fact that he was gradually making his way closer to her.

Sara, on the other hand, kept her eyes focussed on Iris, intent on distracting her as she noticed Neal moving stealthily across the room out of the corner of her eye. It appeared that whether she liked it or not, Neal was intent on playing the hero and was going to continue to bridge the distance up until the moment he finally reached the woman or until Iris noticed him coming and turned her weapon on him - whichever came first.

Despite the information Rebecca had just shared about the gun not being loaded, there was always the chance the young woman was mistaken. Rebecca might very well have removed the ammunition from her mother's gun but who was to say Iris hadn't stopped to purchase more on her way to her twisted mission.

It was a calculated risk but Sara felt confident, almost invincible. Perhaps, it was a reaction to her faulty heart or some delirious sense of fearlessness - whatever the case, she took in a shaky breath and spoke again, intent on keeping Iris' eyes focussed on her.

'Iris, why don't you and I sit down and talk things through' she said, her voice surprisingly steady.

Neal continued advancing slowly, silently, fighting to keep his breathing quiet as he got closer and closer to the woman while the three other occupants of the room watched in silence.

Iris was overcome with another coughing fit and her body slumped forward, temporarily letting her guard down as her hand dropped to her side. Neal took advantage of the situation and took three long strides, arriving at her side and reaching out to grab her arm, intent on immobilizing her.

Sara was instantly there with Rebecca not far behind. There was a brief, ineffectual struggle between Neal and Iris Hastings as she tumbled to the ground with Neal inelegantly draped over her.

To everyone's consternation, Iris inadvertently squeezed the trigger as she fell, firing off a shot as everyone gasped in reply.

WCWCWC

The sound of merriment echoed throughout the Caffrey house as the happy, satiated group sat around the remnants of their excellent meal. The subjects discussed over dinner had been varied and had included Sara's surgery, the upcoming wedding, Emily's activities with the Chicago Artists Guild and Liam's aborted basketball season, culminating, inevitably, with countless unsolicited suggestions of names for Hope and Cameron's new papoose.

'That's terrible! Who would do that to a kid?' Mozzie asked rhetorically.

'Oh, this from a guy who calls himself _Mozzie_ ' Liam offered, mercilessly teasing his godfather.

The room erupted in laughter as Hope and Cam sat, holding hands, maintaining the coyness with which they'd been treating the whole baby naming thing ever since the subject had first come up, months before. There was obviously no shortage of opinions in the Caffrey clan and all the young couple could do was listen to the numerous suggestions coming from all corners.

'You will all find out together' Cameron said, over the roar of laughter. '… when the time is right.'

'You mean at his high school graduation?' Cody asked as laughter erupted once more.

Hope's face grew serious and she grabbed her belly, moaning loudly as everyone grew silent to turn their attention to the mother-to-be, who appeared to be in some distress.

'Hope?' Liam murmured, as he jumped out of his chair, moving instantly to her side.

Her face relaxed as she grinned widely. 'You guys are so easy to wind up!' she declared with a twisted laugh as she playfully punched Liam in the arm.

Liam shook his head in disbelief. 'That is _not fair_ , sis. Dirty pool! Unsportsmanlike conduct' he complained as he returned to his spot next to Cody.

'This thing is power, baby' she replied impishly, pointing to her large belly. 'Sheer power!'

'You better be careful, babe' Cam warned with a wink. 'If you cry wolf too often, nobody's going to believe you and you might end up giving birth on a street corner somewhere, all by yourself.'

The front door was heard opening in the distance as everyone sat up at attention.

'Finally!' Emily said, fully expecting to find her sister and brother-in-law standing there.

'Hey, we can hear you guys all the way across the street' came Caitlin's voice as she and Will stepped into the kitchen to the hoots and hollers of everyone - except Liam.

He studied them as they walked in, looking very 'couplish' and he cleared his throat, forcing a smile as they joined the group. He couldn't figure out why he was so irked by their budding romance; it wasn't envy, considering he was totally fulfilled in his relationship with Cody.

'You two want some dessert?' Emily asked, pointing to the half-eaten store bought cake that sat in the middle of the table.

Will held up a large bag. 'Dessert leftovers' he announced, taking a seat between Liam and Mozzie.

Caitlin watched as Will settled in at the table, like she'd seen him do countless times before. And yet, tonight, it was as if she was seeing him for the first time… his long limbs tucked under his chair, his easy smile, his shiny, mischievous eyes. There was playful banter between him and Liam for a brief moment as the two best buddies reconnected. Cody and Caitlin exchanged furtive glances; the two young men would always be close and their significant others would just have to learn to live with it, whether they liked it or not.

'So, where did you two go for dinner?' Hope asked.

Caitlin and Will glanced at each other from across the table, looking a little embarrassed to be the centre of attention. It seemed that their blossoming relationship was the world's worst kept secret.

'We tried this new place down in the art district, called the Yellow Canoe' Will volunteered.

'I heard about that place, high end bistro type?' Cody said as Will nodded.

'I thought you two were going to a movie' Liam added.

'Yeah, well… time kind of got away from us' Caitlin replied as a few eyebrows were raised in question.

'So, where are Sara and Mr. C anyway?' Caitlin asked, eager to change the subject.

'You know, that is a very good question' Emily said as she glanced at her watch. 'They should have been here by now. Let me see if I can reach them.'

WCWCWC

The sound of the gunshot echoing in the room took everyone by surprise, particularly Sara and Rebecca who had been under the mistaken impression the gun wasn't loaded. The two women gaped at each other while Neal proceeded to disarm the older woman, taking the gun from her hand and stumbling as he got back on his feet.

Almost immediately, there was a kerfuffle at the door as a security guard appeared, brandishing a gun of his own.

'It's okay, it's okay!' Neal shouted as he held up his hands in surrender, the gun still firmly in his grasp.

The guard immediately grabbed for his phone. 'I'll call the police' he offered.

Winston Bosch stepped out from behind his desk and put his hand up to stop the guard from completing the call. 'No, no, it's fine. Don't call the police, everything's under control.'

Neal made quick work of removing the magazine from the gun and placing everything on the large oak desk before returning to help Rebecca who was struggling to help her mom sit up. His eyes met Sara's and where a moment ago, she'd seemed self-assured and confident, she now stared back at her husband with her eyes the size of saucers and her face as white as a ghost.

'Sara… you all right?' Neal asked as he turned his attention to his wife.

She looked like she might be on the verge of passing out and he quickly brought a chair closer and helped her sit as Winston Bosch came to Rebecca's aid.

'Is anybody hurt?' Neal asked as everyone stared back, shell-shocked, shaking their heads.

'We'll be fine, Kurt' Winston Bosch said to the security guard, dismissing him. 'I'll call you if we need you.'

The man backed away slowly; if the boss man said everything was all right, who was he to argue?

Calm and order gradually returned and Winston Bosch, who up until this point had been totally paralyzed, got down on his knees to assess Iris' condition. The woman was as pale as could be, her body shivering and her eyes glazed over. She slipped into unconsciousness, her body going limp as her daughter cradled her in her lap.

'Mom?' Rebecca cried. 'Mom!'

'I think we need an ambulance' Bosch said as he looked up at Neal.

Neal reached for his phone, preparing to summon help, his eyes shifting from Sara back to Iris. It was difficult to know which one of them was in more urgent need of help although, thankfully, colour seemed to slowly be returning to Sara's cheeks.

'I'm okay, Neal' she murmured in answer to his unasked question.

He crouched down by her side, placing his hand in her lap and taking her hand in his while he held his phone with the other.

'I need an ambulance' he said, his voice rough.

WCWCWC

The stunned trio watched as Iris was wheeled out by the paramedics with Rebecca glued to her side. She'd been slipping in and out of consciousness since the stressful incident, moaning incoherently in response to the sound of her daughter's voice.

The young woman looked up at her boss, tears in her eyes and he nodded in encouragement.

'Go with your mother. I'll come by and check on the two of you later' Winston Bosch said, to Sara's surprise.

'Are you all right, sir?' she asked, once they were alone.

He let out a loud sigh. 'I… I think I'm still in shock. Are you telling me Iris Hastings was the mastermind behind all this?'

'Apparently so. We were on our way to confront her with Rebecca when we heard the two of you arguing' Sara explained.

The man ran his hands through his thinning hair and shook his head in disbelief.

'How did she…' he began before stopping suddenly. 'You know, never mind, there'll be plenty of time to discuss this in the morning. I just found out I've been working with my daughter for the past year and a half… I need a bit of time to… wrap my mind around that.'

'You don't want us to call the police?' Neal asked.

'No… I want to hear Iris out before I do anything. She's obviously in no fit state to be dragged in and questioned by the police' he stated with certainty. 'Can we…'

He looked over at Sara, seeing how exhausted she looked. 'Aren't you scheduled for surgery?'

'The day after tomorrow' she said, her voice weak.

'Well, I don't want to see you here tomorrow. Get some rest. I'm sure your husband can fill me in on the details, right Mr. Caffrey?' he added, looking at Neal.

'Yes, of course' Neal replied, hand on Sara's back.

Winston Bosch nodded and watched as the Caffreys prepared to leave.

'Oh, and Sara…good luck' he said.

WCWCWC

Except for his hand placed gingerly on the small of her back, Neal and Sara didn't have any contact on the way back down to Sara's office, nor did they speak. The business day was over and except for a few keeners working late, there was very little activity on the 31st floor. They walked in silence, heading down the hall, through the outer office and into Sara's office where Neal closed the door behind them and turned to face his wife.

She stood there trembling, face pale and at the sight of him, she melted into a puddle. His arms were instantly around her, holding her up as she began to sob, her face nestled in the crook of his neck.

'Sara…' he whispered breathlessly in her ear.

He held her tenderly, running his hands up and down her back as he felt her tensed up body begin to relax.

'What in heaven's name were you thinking back there?' he murmured, holding her tight.

She pulled away to look into his eyes, her face puffy and red. 'Rebecca had just whispered in my ear that the gun wasn't loaded. She said she'd taken the ammunition out.'

Neal stared back at her, frowning in disbelief; so much could have gone wrong and solely by the grace of God, were they both standing there, safe and sound.

'I guess she must have… gotten more ammunition' Sara said, her voice unsteady.

'You think?' Neal asked sarcastically before pulling her back fervently into his arms.

His breathing grew ragged and he closed his eyes tightly as he hugged her frail frame, desperately needing to feel the heat emanating from her body and to hear the sound of her laboured breathing.

'Why would you take a chance like that?' he finally asked, his voice quiet. 'You just about gave me a heart attack.'

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry…' Sara moaned, her body shaking.

Neal pulled away, gazing intently at her as his hands came up to cup her tear stained face.

'Don't you _ever_ do that to me again' he murmured breathlessly, wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb.

'I promise' she replied, her voice quivering.

He pulled her in to him fiercely once more, still not quite ready to let her go.

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

The two men sat at the Burke dining room table talking animatedly while El worked at the computer in the kitchen, not so surreptitiously eavesdropping on their conversation. Poor Neal was in for a good roasting if Peter and Clinton carried out even _half_ of the crazy ideas they'd been discussing for his bachelor party.

'And you really don't mind having it at your place?' Peter asked.

'My man cave is the perfect place to have it' Jones replied. 'And Ivy said she'd coordinate the food.'

'I can help out…' El offered, always willing to lend a hand.

Peter glanced in her direction. 'You've got Sara's party to think of' he reminded her. 'Isn't it the same night?'

Elizabeth glanced up. 'Yeah, but making four dozen mini quiche instead of two is no big deal.'

'I'll let her know' Jones said as the men returned to their guest list.

The list of invitees was much longer than it had been for Neal's first bachelor party. It included Liam, Cameron, Cody, Mozzie, Will, Sam Jordan, Jeff Mason, Peter, Jones and a couple of surprise guests. The party was planned for the night before the big day so many of the guests would be in town and Jones and Peter had included Cam's dad, Mike Miller and Ken Murphy to the mix.

'Neal's going to be thrilled to see Scott there' Peter commented as he rubbed his hands together in glee. 'Let's keep that a secret.'

Jones nodded. 'How do you want to handle the booze, Peter? I don't want to be insensitive…'

Peter thought for a moment before responding. 'You know I think Neal would really be uncomfortable if we didn't make alcohol available for everyone. What do _you_ think, hon?' he asked, glancing towards the kitchen.

Elizabeth got to her feet and joined the men at the table. 'I think you're probably right. Neal would hate to think of people having to abstain because of him.'

'Why don't I just run it by him' Peter suggested. 'See how he feels.'

This get together was for Neal, after all, and the last thing he wanted was for the groom not to enjoy his own bachelor party.

'That sounds like a good idea, honey' Elizabeth said, patting her husband on the back.

'So, we're asking Liam to give a speech' Jones resumed. 'What about you, Peter? How about you say a few words? After all, you _are_ his best friend… and you've got the best dirt on him.'

Peter grinned; he already had a few choice stories to share with the group. 'Sure, I welcome any opportunity to embarrass Neal.'

Jones chuckled and glanced at his watch; he'd been there for two hours and Ivy would be wondering where he was.

'I better get back, Michael has a soccer game in an hour' he said, getting to his feet. 'Thanks for the coffee, Elizabeth.'

The Burkes walked him to the door and waved him off and Elizabeth couldn't help but notice a mischievous smile on her husband's face.

'You're really getting into this, aren't you?' she asked.

'Oh, we're going to have some serious fun…' Peter replied.

And somehow, it sounded like a threat.

WCWCWC

The drive home was quiet. Neal could tell by her demeanour that Sara was exhausted and frankly, so was he. Some days, he felt every one of his sixty-one years and this was definitely one of those days. There was something about watching your wife being held at gunpoint that got your blood pumping only to leave you totally drained. Truth was, after such an ordeal, he would give his right arm for a nice chilled Sauvignon or a glass of his favourite, Châteauneuf-du-pape. The cravings didn't happen all that much anymore but every now and then, his mind would wander to that place and he'd remember the soothing feeling he used to get as he sipped a fine wine or enjoyed a nice quality scotch on ice.

He sighed, re-focussing, and glanced to his right. Sara had been amazingly strong throughout this whole nightmare, especially considering the current challenges to her health. It was a miracle she hadn't passed out after having a gun pointed squarely at her by a crazed woman, staring her down.

'Hey' he said, pulling her out of her reverie. 'How are you feeling?'

She turned to look at him and smiled. 'All right… thanks for picking up the pieces back there.'

He brought his hand to rest on hers and squeezed. 'That's my job' he declared with a wide grin. 'You hungry?'

'Starved. I hope they saved us some dinner' she replied as they turned onto their quiet street.

There were several cars parked in front of the house and Neal immediately recognized Cam and Hope's old beat up Chevy, Will's little Suzuki and the red Toyota Cody's parents had given him two years earlier for high school graduation.

'Looks like we've got a full house!' Neal declared as they pulled into the driveway.

Raffie was heard barking off in the distance and Neal smirked; there was obviously a party going on and he couldn't think of anything better than to join the festivities and let the remnants of their afternoon from hell gently fade away.

'We're home!' he called out over the loud voices reverberating in the house - so loud that no one heard him until he and Sara had actually stepped into view. Everyone was assembled around the kitchen table except for Cody and Cameron who seemed to have drawn the short straws and were on cleanup duty.

'Hey, you're home!' Liam called out as he got to his feet.

'Here Mom, have a seat' he said, heading for the stove. 'You hungry? I'll put on some fresh pasta.'

'Famished!' Neal declared as he and Sara joined the group.

They looked around at all the happy faces and let out a sigh of relief.

They were home.

WCWCWC

The last place Winston Bosch had expected to be on this Monday evening was at a hospital in mid-town Manhattan. He'd called his wife and explained he needed to work late, as yet unable to come clean about the drama that had transpired in his office that afternoon.

Seeing the state Iris was in had been a shock, to say the least. The woman was fifteen years his junior and yet she'd looked like an elderly woman, so much so that he would never have recognized her had it not been for the circumstances. She was ill, deathly ill, and one couldn't help but empathize with someone who was obviously living on borrowed time.

But even more than the shock of seeing his ex-paramour after all these years, was the realization that he'd been unknowingly working alongside his own daughter for the past eighteen months.

He was directed to a room on the quiet hospital ward and peeked in, finding Rebecca at her mother's side while the older woman lay motionless on the bed. He felt like a voyeur and yet, this was his daughter and the mother of his child and he willed himself to take those last few steps into the room.

'Am I interrupting?' he asked as Rebecca looked up to meet his eyes.

She'd been crying, her eyes red and her face puffy but despite the heartache he could read on her face, she managed to smile through her tears.

'They've sedated her' she said, not moving from her spot.

Winston came closer, noting the oxygen mask on Iris' face. 'What's wrong with her?' he asked soberly.

'She's had cancer for the past year and now it's spread to her lungs. The doctors say she doesn't have much time left.'

'I'm sorry' Winston Bosch said, surprising himself with the sincerity in his voice.

The woman lying there had put him through hell the last few months and yet, all he could feel was compassion and guilt for his part in driving her to carry out such an outlandish crime.

'I'm the one who's sorry…' Rebecca whimpered. 'Sorry for what she did to you.'

Winston Bosch stood, motionless, still puzzled by the events that had led the woman to behave in such a way. But beyond that, he'd been shocked to discover he had another daughter. The man was a father to three children, two from his first marriage and a third from his current wife. Looking into Rebecca's eyes, he couldn't help but be aware that he'd contributed to this young woman's gene pool and he stared at her, his mouth agape, searching for something of himself in her. She was pretty, much like her mom had been thirty years before with bright eyes and an easy smile. Was there anything of him in there - perhaps his determination or his quick wit?

'What are the doctors saying?' he asked, stepping closer and gazing down at his ex-lover's tortured face.

Rebecca shook her head and sniffled. 'It's not good. She's been ignoring her health for months, smoking and not following up on her doctor's appointments and now that the cancer has spread…'

She was overcome with emotion, unable to continue. Winston Bosch settled in the chair on the opposite side of the bed and took a deep breath, waiting for her to finish her thought.

'Would you believe she was actually smoking in bed when I left this morning?' the young woman scoffed. 'I had to pry the cigarette out of her hand before I left for the office.'

'What… what happened to drive her to this?' he asked, although he could hardly blame the woman for being angry after the cavalier way in which he'd treated her all those years ago.

'My mom has a lot of qualities, Mr. Bosch, but… well, she can hold a grudge for a long, long time, years… My grandfather left her some money a couple of years back. A _lot_ of money… she could have turned her life around but all she could think of was how she was going to get revenge on you for ruining her life.'

'She hated me that much?' Bosch asked, shaken.

Rebecca looked down at her mom, running her hand gently through her matted hair. 'She was hurt, deeply, deeply hurt. Deep down, I always suspected she'd never stopped loving you, that's why it hit her so hard when you pushed her away.'

The hits kept coming… with every new piece of information, Winston Bosh could feel his shoulders slumping further, his soul dropping to depths he couldn't have imagined.

Suddenly his hand reached out for the young woman and he placed it on hers, unsure how she would react to his gesture. Rebecca just looked up at him, her usually bright blue eyes suddenly lifeless.

'We'll figure this out. Somehow' the man said.

WCWCWC

It was past 10:00 when the party on Meadowbrook Street finally broke up. Mozzie had headed out shortly after Neal and Sara had come home and by 9:00, Hope had fallen asleep on the couch in the family room. Cam roused her, pointing her towards the door while Liam followed them out to walk Cody to his car. Emily and Sara were both drooping and excused themselves to head up to bed, leaving Neal, Caitlin and Will to finish tidying up.

'I can get this, guys' Neal offered as he took a pile of dirty dishes from Caitlin's hands.

She smiled at her foster dad and turned to look at Will. 'I can get that box set I was telling you about' she said, pointing to the stairs. 'It's up in my room.'

He nodded, unsure if that was an invitation to follow her up or to wait for her to return but she immediately reached for his hand pulling him along and leaving no doubt as to her intention.

Neal watched as the couple headed to the front of the house and he returned to the task at hand, placing dirty dishes in the dishwasher and putting away the various, sundry items left on the kitchen table. He hesitated as he picked up a half-empty bottle of Cabernet, examining the bottle for a moment as his heart rate accelerated. He brought the bottle up to his nose and inhaled deeply, the rich bouquet stimulating his senses and eliciting a small smile on his lips. It smelled wonderful and he had a fleeting memory of how enjoyable a nice glass of red felt as it passed his lips and tickled his taste buds.

He took Sara's empty glass from the table and filled it halfway, hypnotized by the wine's rich red hue as it coated the glass and he stared for a moment, fighting the urge to take a nice long sip. It had been a stressful day and he closed his eyes, imagining the soothing sensation of the wine as it came down his gullet, the warmth in his belly as it hit and the afterglow as the effects of the alcohol kicked in.

He was so mesmerized by the half-filled glass of wine that he didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind him and suddenly Liam was there, returning from having bid Cody goodnight.

'Hey Dad!' he called out. 'Let me give you a hand with that.'

Neal looked up guiltily as if his son could read his mind and he made quick work of dumping the small amount of wine down the sink as he proceeded to rinse the glass and place it in the dishwasher, alongside the rest of the dishes.

'So… Cody on his way home?' Neal asked.

'Yeah' Liam said as he carried over the last of the dishes from the table to the kitchen counter. 'He was pretty wiped, he wrote his last exam today.'

Neal smiled at his son. 'You glad to be home?'

'Really glad' Liam replied. 'It's not easy to have a long-distance relationship.'

'I hear you' Neal said as the two men worked side by side. 'So, have you decided what you'd like me to make for your birthday dinner?'

'Whatever's easiest, Dad' the young man responded. 'I think our priority should be Mom and getting her back on her feet.'

Neal gave him a sideways glance; he'd always been selfless in that way and it seemed his birthday celebrations had often taken a back seat to other more urgent family matters over the years.

He placed his hand on Liam's shoulder and gave him a warm smile. 'Don't worry, there'll be plenty of people around to help Mom. I want to make sure we give you a _real_ celebration.'

'Well, since you're asking I was thinking maybe chicken and ribs. Take advantage of barbecue season while it's here. Plus, I haven't had your ribs since last summer.'

'Sounds great. Chicken and ribs, it is! Anybody else besides Cody you want to invite?' Neal asked.

'The house is pretty full as it is…' Liam remarked. 'But maybe Will, Uncle Moz, Uncle Peter and Aunt Elizabeth… Will Aunt Emily still be here?'

'Yeah… her flight leaves Sunday' Neal informed him as he continued rinsing dishes.

They heard the sound of voices as Caitlin and Will returned from upstairs and Will's voice called out to them from the front of the house.

'Thanks for dinner!' he shouted as both Neal and Liam waved him goodbye.

Caitlin followed the young man out the door and Neal glanced at his son, detecting a barely disguised look of disapproval on his face.

'Those two seem to be getting along' Neal commented, searching his son's face for a reaction.

'Yeah…' Liam said without much enthusiasm.

'You don't think they're a good match?' Neal prodded.

'I just worry about Will' Liam admitted as he finished loading up the dishwasher and pressed the button to activate it. 'He's had a rough time since his breakup with Josie and he's vulnerable.'

Neal leaned against the kitchen counter and examined his son. 'So has Caitlin… had a rough time, I mean' he offered.

Liam shrugged. 'I guess…' he mused. 'But she can take it.'

'I think Caitlin _pretends_ to be tough because she's been hurt so many times' Neal confided. 'She's going through a really rough time right now… with her mom. She'd started seeing her on the condition she stays sober but it seems her mom hasn't been able to live up to that commitment.'

Neal thought briefly of his own journey, how close he'd come to losing his family when he'd spiralled out of control. Surely, Liam could relate to how Caitlin might be feeling about being estranged from her mom.

'Really?' Liam said, looking at his dad. 'I didn't realize…'

'You know, Liam, Caitlin's got a good heart but she's had a lot of pain in her short life… not like you and Hope. You guys were lucky to have both your parents in your lives. Can you imagine if you'd had to move around from one foster home to another like she did?'

'I suppose… But Will's my best friend, Dad, and I don't want him to get hurt.'

'What if Will ended up hurting Caitlin? Wouldn't _that_ bother you?' Neal asked.

'Yeah, of course. But Caitlin's strong…' the young man responded.

Neal shook his head. 'She might look strong… on the outside. But I happen to know that inside, she's just as vulnerable as the rest of us. You know, you really should cut her some slack.'

'You think?' Liam asked, searching his dad's eyes.

His father's opinion meant a lot to him and if Neal ventured to give an opinion on any subject, it behooved Liam to pay attention.

'I do… but I also know how much you care about Will and I understand you wanting to protect him. You two have always been there for each other' Neal said. 'I remember how he stood by you when you came out and how much that meant to you.'

Liam frowned as he listened. 'But Caitlin isn't Josie…' Neal continued. '… and it doesn't mean she'll hurt him the way Josie did. Besides, Will's a really smart guy - I'm sure he can figure things out for himself. Maybe you can just be there for him… like you've always been.'

Neal stopped talking; he'd said more than enough and he could tell Liam needed time to think things through; he'd come around in his own time.

'Wasn't second round play starting tonight?' he asked as Liam's face relaxed.

'Yeah, I was thinking I'd catch the last quarter online' Liam said.

Neal brought his hand to rest on his son's shoulder and wagged his eyebrows. 'Do you want some company?'

WCWCWC

'Thanks for this' Will said, pointing to the box set in his hands.

Caitlin smiled demurely - well, as much as Caitlin could be demure. 'You're welcome.'

There was an awkward silence for a moment; the street was quiet despite it being a warm late spring evening and Caitlin stepped in a little closer, bridging the gap between herself and Will.

'I'm sorry if I pushed too hard… you know, about your dad' she said softly.

'You didn't push too hard. I needed to hear all that' Will replied.

Caitlin appeared to relax. 'I had a really great time tonight, Will' she murmured as Will took the last step so that their bodies were practically touching.

'Me too' he whispered as his hand moved to cup her face.

He moved in to kiss her and Caitlin responded in kind, bringing her arms up behind his back and pulling him closer.

Will's breathing grew louder and he let out a soft moan as he deepened the kiss. Caitlin was in no hurry to break off the contact and her body softened as his arms moved down to hold her body against his. Except for the kiss they'd shared outside her hotel room that first night, they had both refrained from anything more than fleeting touches and a peck on the cheek when they'd parted ways on Sunday evening.

This time, they were both stone cold sober and there was no doubt that they both wanted this… very much.

'Can I see you later this week?' Will asked once the kiss ended.

'Yeah, sure' Caitlin murmured, still entangled in his arms. 'Will you be here for Liam's birthday next weekend?'

'Try to keep me away' he whispered as he moved in for another long, languorous kiss.

This time, they were interrupted by noise nearby and they pulled away from each other as a neighbour walked by, pulling along her reluctant dog.

'I better get going' Will said as he pulled away, opening the car door.

'Goodnight' Caitlin said, taking a step back and watching as he climbed in and started the car.

WCWCWC

When Neal walked into the bedroom, he was relieved to find that Sara was sound asleep. Frankly, she needed the rest in order to face the next few days. He let himself fall wearily on the edge of the bed and kicked off his shoes, stopping to catch his breath. What a day it had been! In the morning, he would have to go in to Sterling Bosch and give chapter and verse to Winston Bosch about what had led them to Iris Hastings in the first place.

He'd been taken by surprise by Bosch's reaction but then again, the man had just learned he had a daughter he never knew about. It was one thing to walk away from a pregnant lover but to come face to face with a grown woman and know that she was your own flesh and blood had to be jarring, to say the least.

Sara moaned and turned to face him in the bed, her hair falling in her face as she snored softly. Neal took a moment to lean in and gently kiss her forehead before standing and taking the rest of his clothes off. He slipped into bed next to his wife and she stirred, her eyes opening briefly.

'Mffmmm' she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. 'V'rething 'kay?'

'Yeah' he whispered, pushing a strand of hair from her face. 'Everything's fine, go back to sleep.'

She purred and was instantly dozing once again but for Neal, sleep was a long time in coming and when it finally did claim him, his dreams were frightening and fiercely vivid.

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

There were surprisingly few blanks left to fill in when Neal showed up at Sterling Bosch on Tuesday morning. Turned out Winston Bosch had stayed at the hospital late into the evening and had been fully briefed by Rebecca Hastings as to the circumstances surrounding the thefts. All that was left was for Neal to explain how he and Peter had first connected the dots linking Iris to Rebecca, how they'd paid the woman a visit, uncovering some incriminating evidence and how Sara had leaned on Rebecca in order to bring all the facts to light.

The CEO was obviously troubled by the current state of affairs but he was still adamant that the police not be called in. Iris Hastings had very little time left and no good would come from having her hauled off to jail and left to die, alone in a dark prison cell. He and Rebecca had discussed a process by which the stolen items might be recovered and he was confident they could come to some peaceful resolution without causing Iris any further suffering.

Neal was thanked for his help in solving the case and Winston Bosch sent him on his way, wishing Sara well with her surgery the next day.

Neal's next stop was the jewellers; they'd called to say the ring he'd ordered was ready and he headed over to pick it up, with Hope tagging along for company.

'Dad, this is absolutely gorgeous' Hope said as she examined the beautiful family ring.

'You really think she'll like it?' Neal asked, a little anxious.

Hope rolled her eyes at him. 'Are you kidding? She's going to _love_ it. And you know how crazy she is about emeralds.'

'See here?' Neal pointed out. 'I want to put another stone right in here for the new baby but I don't want to jinx it by picking a birthstone before we know for sure what his birthdate is going to be.'

Hope nodded in agreement; this baby would come when he was good and ready and it was anybody's guess exactly when that might be — although the odds were overwhelming that they would be adding a ruby to the mix.

'So…' Mr. Jennings said as he returned to check on them. 'Is everything to your satisfaction?'

'Yes!' Neal replied. 'You've done a great job. Thank you. Oh, and I'm also picking up our weddings bands, we had them cleaned.'

'I'll go check on that' the man said as he stepped away.

Hope continued examining the new ring, peering inside at the inscription and she gasped, growing emotional.

'Daddy… that's a beautiful sentiment' she sighed.

Neal smiled, reassured that he'd made all the right decisions. 'You know, after what happened five years ago…' he began, tentatively. 'I realize just how close I came to losing your mom for good… sometimes, I still can't believe she gave me another chance.'

Hope looked up at her dad, seeing the emotion on his face. 'Dad, Mom loves you so much. That will never change.'

'I know, but… well, certain things are unforgivable' he said cryptically, still unwilling to share the details of his indiscretion, even after all this time.

Although they'd discussed it on numerous occasions, Hope and Liam had never uncovered exactly what had transpired on that fateful night nor the reasons that had compelled their mom to kick him out of the house. They had their suspicions but they would never know for certain. Regardless, in the end, she and Liam had been relieved when their mom had chosen to take the high road and they had been thrilled to see their parents reunite.

In a surprise move, she leaned over to kiss his cheek. 'Daddy, Mom forgave you for… whatever happened that night. When are you going to learn to forgive yourself?'

The tender moment was interrupted by Mr. Jennings, returning with Neal and Sara's wedding rings, perfectly shiny and looking brand new.

'Here you go, sir' he said, handing them over. 'Ready for another twenty-five years.'

WCWCWC

'More coffee?' Emily asked as she stood at the kitchen counter.

'I should probably abstain' Sara replied. 'It'll be even harder to sleep tonight if I overdo it on the caffeine.'

Emily returned to sit next to her sister. 'So, what happened last night? You two were really quiet when you got back.'

Sara scoffed. 'You wouldn't believe it. We traced those mysterious thefts to a woman whose daughter is Mr. Bosch's assistant and we found the woman in his office, holding him at gunpoint.'

'What?' Emily said, her eyes growing.

'Oh, and there's more. This woman worked for Bosch thirty years ago and she had his baby.'

'So, this assistant… she's Mr. Bosch's daughter?' Emily asked, intrigued.

Sara gave her an eyebrow wag in response.

'Wow… movie of the week stuff' Emily commented.

'Well, case closed… finally. Now, we can concentrate on the wedding' Sara mused.

'Aren't you forgetting something?' Emily reminded her, not that Sara needed any reminding that she was going under the knife in less than twenty-four hours.

'I _was_ trying to forget' she said, glaring at her sister. 'But, thanks for the reminder.'

'Oh, come on' Emily said, jostling her. 'It's a pacemaker Sara, not open heart surgery.'

Sara glared at her once more. 'It's a foreign object inserted in my body is what it is' she replied defensively.

'Yeah… a foreign object which will help keep you alive and stop all those nasty fainting spells. Plus, you're going to feel a lot more energetic when it's all done.'

'I see you're not going to let me wallow in self-pity' Sara griped as she stood to put her empty cup in the sink. 'You and Neal should form a new alliance - the Pollyannas.'

Emily wasn't going to give in to her sister's negativity. She'd be returning to Chicago in a few days and this was their last opportunity to spend some quality time together, hitting the stores.

Liam appeared, showered and dressed and looking somewhat mischievous.

'Good morning ladies!' he called out, placing a kiss on both their cheeks.

'You look chipper' Sara commented. 'Let me guess… you seeing Cody today?'

'Guilty as charged' he said, grabbing a mug and helping himself to some coffee. 'What are you two up to?'

'We're going shopping for a wedding present for your dad' Sara replied. 'Any thoughts?'

Liam leaned on the kitchen counter and sighed, looking to make a suggestion.

'Dad would tell you he doesn't need anything but you' he commented with an eyebrow wag.

'Of course he would' Sara agreed. 'But we're getting married again and I want to give him something to remind him just how much he means to me.'

'What did you give him for your first wedding?' Emily asked.

'I got him a pair of cufflinks with some sentimental message on them… can't even remember exactly. Oh, and I got him everything he needed to start his art studio' Sara said wistfully.

'That's nice' Emily replied. 'Something practical and something purely whimsical… I like it.'

Liam took a last sip of his coffee and moved away from the kitchen counter. 'Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got a very important date.'

'Bye honey!' Sara called out as she watched her son disappear into the foyer with a spring in his step.

'He looks happy' Emily commented. 'Being in love suits him.'

'Well, Cody's a great guy…' Sara began.

'But?' Emily said, sensing some reservation on her sister's part.

'No _but_ just… well, I worry about him… all the time. Being an out gay man is not easy, there's still so much homophobia in the world' Sara said, her eyes growing sad. 'I just want him to be happy… and safe.'

Emily could feel her sister slipping into nostalgia once more and she grabbed her arm, bringing her to her feet.

'Enough of that. Now come on, let's get going. We've got one day to find the perfect gift for your perfect husband.'

WCWCWC

Liam couldn't help but smile all the way to Cody's place. Finally, some time together after months of stolen moments here and there. Ever since they'd gotten back together, the passion and intensity in their relationship had ratcheted up a notch. They'd been dating since they were barely in their teens but the fallout from their breakup, followed by months of living in different cities had brought them even closer together.

Just the sound of Cody's voice was enough to drive Liam crazy. He'd been slow to fully embrace the physical aspect of their relationship but since they'd become intimate, Liam couldn't get enough of Cody, his smile, his eyes, his mouth, his body and being in a long-distance relationship had only further inflamed his passion for the young man.

Being away at school certainly had its advantages; it had allowed Liam to continue to play the sport he loved at an elite level and he was genuinely enjoying the business classes he was taking. He'd also made a lot of new friends, not the least of which was his roommate, Josh Monteith and he had to admit that life on campus as a jock definitely had its perks.

But being home was the absolute best, being close to Cody, Will, Hope and his parents and, as much as he hated to admit it, Caitlin. He'd given a lot of thought to what his dad has said, realizing he might be rushing to judgement as far as her relationship with his best friend. Truth was, she'd had a hard life and he had no reason to believe she had anything but good intentions where Will was concerned. If Will could give her a chance, the least he could do was be supportive; after all, young Allenby was struggling with issues of his own and when he was in Caitlin's presence, he seemed to be more relaxed than Liam had seen him in a long time.

Cody was waiting for him on the front porch of the Miller home when Liam drove up and he got to his feet to meet Liam halfway, strolling down the driveway with that sexy look in his eyes.

'Good morning!' Cody said, kissing his boyfriend. 'You look… very kissable.'

Liam smiled in response. 'So do you' he replied, his voice rough as he reached over and squeezed his boyfriend's ass in an act of sheer provocation.

'Hey!' Cody complained half-heartedly as he looked around. 'Groping my ass in the middle of the street is…'

Liam cut him off with another kiss. 'It's what?' he asked boldly.

'… hot' Cody admitted, finishing his sentence.

Liam chuckled. 'Well… you look good enough to eat' he added suggestively.

Cody took his hand, leading him back towards the house. 'Bon appétit!' he murmured.

WCWCWC

Tuesday evening found the clan reunited in the Caffrey home once more. Peter and Elizabeth dropped by to wish Sara well as did Sam and Lydia; Chloe and Bea had both prepared get-well cards for Sara which she proudly displayed in the family room where she could admire them while she recuperated.

Mozzie had popped in with some advice of his own as Neal ran interference. The last thing Sara needed was to put up with Mozzie's outlandish suggestions of ways to get back on her feet. Despite it all, Mozzie managed to leave a pamphlet behind for the local tattoo parlour, urging Sara to do what many women before her had done: cover up her soon-to-be scar with a sexy tattoo.

Neal hoped Sara would have a good night's sleep but he feared that might not be the case and once everyone had gone home and the younger generation had headed up to bed, he settled in beside her on the family room couch in front of the television.

'Last call' he said, checking his watch. 'Do you want some popcorn before you have to stop eating at midnight.'

'Popcorn?' Sara repeated, frowning. 'Mmmmm. Do we have any chips?'

'Chips?' Neal repeated. Neither one of them were particularly 'chip' people but they did stock some for Caitlin and Liam - and for Hope who was notorious for raiding their snack cupboard, especially since she'd gotten pregnant.

Neal got to his feet and walked towards the kitchen. 'Let's see what we've got' he mumbled as he opened the kitchen cupboard. 'Barbecue, plain or bacon and sour cream?'

'Bacon and sour cream' Sara called out from the couch. '…and maybe plain… oh, what the heck, bring them all over.'

Neal grabbed the three bags and a couple of cans of pop and headed back to the couch, settling in next to his wife.

'You've got an hour before you have to start fasting. Don't overdo it' he warned sternly.

'You want to watch a movie?' Sara suggested as she grabbed for the remote.

'Sure' Neal replied. It was past eleven o'clock but sitting there watching a movie was better than lying in bed as Sara inevitably tossed and turned for the next couple of hours.

'Oh!' he declared, jumping to his feet and making his way to their movie collection. 'I've got just the thing.'

It took a minute for him to locate his choice but he lifted up a DVD in victory as Sara's eyes lit up.

'Great choice!' she said in agreement. 'I love Gene Kelly.'

A musical about Paris was just the ticket to take his wife's mind off her impending surgery and, at least temporarily, get her to focus on all those fun times that lay ahead on their holiday. He sauntered over to pop the movie into the DVD player and fell back next to her with a satisfied smile.

WCWCWC

Over at the Burke house, the occupants were settling in for the night.

'So, did you talk to Liam? About the bachelor party?' El asked as she prepared to turn in.

'Yeah, he said he'd be happy to roast his dad and he thinks Neal would really like to try rock climbing. And then, we'll head over to Jones' place for food, poker and karaoke… oh and a good roasting of the groom.'

'That sounds good. Not too much emphasis on drinking' Elizabeth nodded in agreement. 'Sara says Neal's still struggling with whether or not to have anything to drink at the wedding.'

Peter climbed into bed. 'I think it's very wise of him not to jump in too quickly' he commented.

'You don't think he should drink again?' she asked, her face curious.

Peter raised his eyebrows in response. 'That's entirely up to Neal but… he's kind of an all or nothing guy and I get that he wouldn't want to chance it. Especially with what happened five years ago.'

'I suppose…' Elizabeth murmured. 'It's just a shame he can't enjoy one of life's simple pleasures, especially something he used to like so much.'

'I think Neal enjoys being married to Sara more than he enjoys the occasional shot of whisky. It took him years to figure it out but he's finally realized that everything comes at a price.'

El sighed as she curled up against her husband. 'Good point, honey' she said.

'I was thinking we could stop by the hospital tomorrow night and see Sara' she continued.

'Sure' Peter replied. 'And I might pop in and sit with Neal while he waits for her to come out of surgery.'

'That's a great idea. You are such a thoughtful man, Peter Burke' she said, kissing him and settling in on her side.

Peter grinned in the darkness. Thoughtful was good.

WCWCWC

Neal sprang to his feet, startling Sara whose body had begun to relax as the soothing sounds of the movie musical droned on in the background. His favourite song from the movie had just come on and he put out his hand in invitation.

'Would you care to dance?' he asked as Sara smiled up at him.

Ever the romantic, she thought, as she willingly got to her feet to join him. Neal brought one arm around to rest on the small of her back and took her hand in his, cradling it against his chest, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her knuckles. His nimble feet began moving around the room, swaying to the rhythm of the music as he crooned in her ear. He'd always been a good dancer and he could serenade her like nobody's business; it was so like him to use deflection to keep her from focussing on her present predicament and not for the first time, Sara realized just how lucky she was to have his wonderful man to share her life with.

' _The many charms about you_ ' he sang softly as he swayed back and forth, pulling her into him. ' _Above all, I want my arms around you. Don't be naughty baby, come to papa, come to papa, do… my sweet embraceable you_.'

Sara giggled in response to the old-fashioned lyrics and Neal let his hand linger down to cup her butt and he squeezed gently, grinning at her mischievously.

'You are _one_ hot sixty-one year old, Neal Caffrey' she said with a naughty smile of her own.

'You do it to me every time' he whispered as he moved in to kiss her lips.

The music continued as the two of them got lost in each other's lips, their limbs slowly beginning to tangle into one big, confused mess. They'd abstained from sex for weeks now and Neal could certainly live with that if that's what his wife needed but when she moved away to look at him, he saw that look of pure arousal he knew all too well.

'Caffrey…' she murmured, a little breathlessly. 'Why don't you take me upstairs and have your way with me?'

'Is that what you want?' he asked, trying not to show his eagerness.

'Uh huh' she said simply as she pulled him in closer. Neal kept his lips on hers as he reached over for the remote, turning off the television without the benefit of using his eyes and he let out a sensuous moan in anticipation.

'I don't know' he said, his voice rough and his eyes darkening. 'You sure you can keep up with me?'

She gave him a dirty look; leave it to Neal to use one-upmanship to seduce her into having sex with him. She took his hand and led him away, gladly giving in to his little game of cat and mouse.

'Oh, you have no idea what you're in for' she groaned.

WCWCWC

The unexpected romp in the sheets had worked its magic and Sara had fallen asleep with a big fat grin on her face, all worries momentarily vanishing. Neal was thankful for that fact but even the great sex they'd just had hadn't been enough to distract him from his worries. Sara was having surgery in the morning and despite the brave front he'd managed to put up, he worried about her and the aftermath of the procedure. The odds of her suffering any negative repercussions were infinitely low but there was still a lengthy list of possible adverse side effects from the surgery and he hoped that Sara would be spared all of them and be back on her feet in plenty of time to enjoy their wedding day and their upcoming trip.

He did a mental check of what was left in preparation for the wedding. His gifts were bought, the rings were safely in his chest of drawers and all the guests had RSVP'd. The decorations and the food preparation were in El's capable hands and all that was left was to finalize his wedding attire and firm up his vows, which he'd been working on diligently for about two weeks. He'd written and re-written the damn text about six times, not quite finding the words to express how he felt; he didn't remember it being this hard the first time around.

Perhaps it was because they had both been somewhat naive about the solemnity of the vows they were taking twenty-five years before. They were in love, eager to commit to sharing their lives together and mistakenly convinced that love was enough to see them through anything life threw at them. In hindsight, both he and Sara had learned that, contrary to what they'd believed that day in June's garden, love wasn't always enough.

Sometimes, life conspired to test a marriage with unexpected situations, no matter how much a man and a woman loved each other. To say that love was enough was a naive assertion and it wasn't surprising that some couples didn't survive the everyday ups and downs of married life. Over the years, both he and Sara had been wounded by life's random and often unforgiving events and sadly at times, by each other's thoughtless, hurtful actions. True, there had been unforeseen circumstances but there had also been lies and deceptions — on both sides.

Surprisingly, the passage of time, rather than render them jaded or suspicious as to each other's intentions and motives, had only served to bring them closer together. From pain and sorrow had blossomed patience and understanding and every time they'd emerged from heartache or adversity, he and Sara had found themselves more determined than ever to stand united.

Now, if he could just find a way to put all that into words, to let Sara know just how much she meant to him, how, astonishingly, he loved her even more than he'd loved her on the day he'd married her. Perhaps it was the harsh realization of how close he'd come to losing it all… whatever the reason, there was a desperation when he thought of Sara - a desperate want, a desperate need, a desperate desire to be with her and an overwhelming sadness at the thought that, someday, he might be called upon to go on with his life without her by his side.

He glanced at her sleeping form. He couldn't look at her without seeing Hope and Liam and the years of shared joy and pain as they'd lived their lives steadfastly by each other's side.

'I love you Sara' he whispered fervently, the words tumbling out in the darkened room.

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

'There's no point, honey, really. I told you, I'm fine' Neal said into the phone. 'Now, rest up and I promise to call as soon as she's out of surgery.'

'Love you too' he added, before hanging up.

'Hope?' Peter asked as Neal nodded.

'Yeah…' Neal replied. 'There's no point in everyone being down here holding my hand. That includes _you_ by the way.'

'Me? Oh, I'm not here for you' Peter teased. 'I… I just wanted an update on your meeting with Bosch.'

Neal laughed. 'Right' he countered. 'The case…'

'It was worth a try' Peter said with a smirk as he handed Neal a cup of coffee and settled in beside him.

The waiting room was practically deserted on this Wednesday morning, just a handful of people waiting for their loved ones to emerge from the operating theatre. Neal had been surprised to see Peter appear a few moments after Sara had been whisked away - pleasantly surprised if he was honest with himself. He'd shooed the kids and Emily away, convincing them to concentrate on being there for Sara when she finally came out of surgery but now, he was relieved not to be sitting there alone.

'Did they tell you how long the surgery would take?' Peter asked.

'A couple of hours' Neal replied, taking a sip of coffee and sighing.

'So how was she… before she went in?' Peter asked.

'Good… good. She was quiet' Neal replied, his eyes meeting Peter's. 'A little _too_ quiet.'

Peter searched Neal's eyes, picking up on some vestiges of worry.

'I guess it's been a shock for her, finding out she needed a pacemaker' Peter commented.

Neal shrugged. 'I think it's made her feel… old and…' he hesitated for a moment. '… past her best by date — which is ridiculous.'

'You know, when I think of Sara, all I can think of is those damn heels of hers and the way she moves around the room like a cyclone' Peter admitted. 'She… scares me sometimes.'

Neal chuckled. ' _Tornado in heels_ , isn't that what you called her once?' he asked. 'And just for the record, sometimes she scares me, too.'

Peter watched with interest as Neal's face grew serious.

'You know, I've known Sara for over thirty years and she's the most fearless woman I've ever met. She's always been so vibrant and full of life' Neal confessed, his eyes moving to look at Peter. 'I don't want this to change her but I'm afraid it might, maybe not physically but —'

'Isn't that your job? To keep reminding her that she's still the same old Sara.'

'I suppose…' Neal mused.

'Last night, in bed…' Neal volunteered, letting Peter read between the lines. 'She was just like she's always been, sexy, funny, full of life but I couldn't help picking up on some weird vibe, this… sadness, like it was her swan song or something, like she was afraid we'd never be together like that again.'

Peter listened, reserving judgement. Neal seemed to realize he might be oversharing and shook his head.

'I think she'd afraid that, from now on, she's going to spend all her time in a rocking chair and have to take up knitting and needlepoint' he added with a smile.

'Needlepoint _is_ pretty' Peter mused, lightening the mood.

'It is' Neal agreed with a playful grin. 'But I just can't see Sara taking it up, not in the near future, anyway. And the icing on the cake is the timing. Sara's about to become a grandmother and I know that's freaking her out. I mean, don't get me wrong, we're both ecstatic about the baby but it's still… well, it took me a long time to get used to being a dad, being a grandfather is… kind of hard to wrap my head around.'

Peter let out a long, painful sigh. 'Getting older isn't easy' he commented as Neal looked over at him. 'The essence of Sara will always be the same but we're all getting older, Neal. Even you.'

Neal's eyes grew in response. If there was one thing he hated, it was the thought of getting old. He was still healthy and virile but lately, he'd noticed his body wasn't quite behaving in the way it used to and he planned on fighting the aging process all the way. He knew Sara was struggling with the same thing and after today, she'd be faced with a reminder of her mortality every time she looked in the mirror and saw that scar staring back at her.

Peter wasn't done sermonizing, it seemed. 'We can try to do things to stay healthy, keep moving and put if off as long as possible but it catches up to you and there's not a goddamn thing any of us can do to stop it.'

Neal defaulted to humour, uncomfortable with where the conversation was going. 'Gee Peter, it's a good thing you're here to cheer me up.'

'Sorry, buddy. I guess we're all struggling with the same issues, whether we like it or not.'

Neal nodded; he knew Peter was right. 'I think that's why this vow renewal ceremony is so important to me' Neal admitted. 'I guess deep down, I realize we only have so much time and I want to make sure Sara knows how much she and the kids mean to me.'

Peter brought his hand to rest on Neal's shoulder as the ex-con continued.

'When we first got married, we thought we had all the time in the world. Hope was just three months old and we were both busy with our lives and our jobs. You know, sometimes, I don't even remember the details of when Hope was little, it's all a blur.'

He looked up at his best friend. 'And then we blinked and… where does the time go, Peter?'

'I know what you mean. I look at Elizabeth sometimes and I'll notice the way her eyes crinkle when she smiles or I'll see her struggling with the pain in her knees and I'll wonder when did _that_ happen?'

'I guess it makes the time we have left all the more precious' Neal philosophized as he got to his feet and walked over to the nearby the window and back. 'You know, I could really use a little walk. I noticed a nice little area out back with park benches…'

Peter followed suit, getting to his feet. 'Sure' he said, feeling the tension radiating off Neal's body.

'Neal…' he added as the younger man glanced over at him. 'She's going to be fine.'

WCWCWC

Sara Ellis was no stranger to hospitals. She'd been hospitalized more times than she cared to remember and she'd been wheeled into operating rooms on a few occasions — none of them happy memories. The brightness of the room took her by surprise as she was wheeled in and brought alongside a narrow table covered with nothing but a stark white sheet. Knowing she'd be conscious throughout the procedure only served to heighten the sense of doom she'd been feeling, despite the medication she'd been given to help her relax.

'Let me give you a hand' one of the nurses said as she guided Sara off the gurney and onto the narrow operating table.

There were several other staff milling around the large operating room, each of them seeing to their specific tasks in preparation for the procedure. Sara's IV was repositioned as the nurse helped her settle onto the hard table.

'Would you like a cushion under your knees?' the kindly nurse asked.

'Yes, please' Sara replied, her voice quiet.

It was cold in there - or maybe it was just nerves and as if reading her mind, the woman produced a warm flannel sheet and placed in over Sara's shivering body, without bothering to ask.

'Thanks' Sara muttered as she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

The procedure itself had been explained to her in detail; it was fairly straightforward and Sara had no doubts as to the competence of the team who would be performing the surgery. It was the aftermath that freaked her out, the thought of knowing she would have this foreign object implanted in her chest and the constant reminder that her body had failed her, unable to do its job properly.

She was pulled out of her musings by that same voice, speaking to her.

'Ms Ellis, I'm going to give you some more medication to help you relax' the woman said, standing menacingly over Sara with a syringe in her hand. 'You might feel a warmth come over you and you might drift off to sleep. Just go with it.'

Almost instantly, Sara felt the warm sensation throughout her body and her mind seemed to wander, unable to remain focussed. What was she here for, again?

She saw Neal's face in her mind's eye, looking down at her with that mischievous look in his eyes. Was that her imagination or a memory she wondered as she felt her body start to relax. He was lying there next to her, running his hand through her hair, telling her she was beautiful and just how much he loved her, how much he wanted her. ' _Let me show how much…_ ' he murmured as his hand ran down the side of her body. Sara giggled softly and felt a warm hand on her arm.

'You all right, Ms Ellis?' the female voice asked as Sara's eyes flew open, surprised to find she wasn't in their bedroom at home but in some cold, sterile environment.

'Fine' she mumbled.

'This is an electrocardiogram monitor' the woman explained as she hooked Sara up to another contraption. 'That way, we can monitor your heart's activity throughout the procedure. We'll also be checking your heart rate, blood pressure and oxygenation level' she added as she put a blood pressure cuff on Sara's left arm.

'Can you sit up for a moment?' she asked as Sara complied, holding the woman's arm for support.

She could feel pads being placed between her shoulder blades and she was instantly set back down on her back.

'How's our patient this morning?' came a disembodied man's voice.

'Good morning Doctor' a chorus of voices replied.

'Hi Sara, how are you doing?' Dr. Hines asked, appearing in her field of vision and leaning down to look at her.

'Good… foggy' Sara admitted with a weak smile.

'Foggy…' he repeated. 'That's exactly how I like my patients' he said with a grin.

'I'm going to start by giving you some antibiotics in your IV line' he explained. 'That'll help prevent infection. And then, I'm going to numb the area where I'm going to make the incision so you won't feel anything.'

Sara's relaxed face seemed to tense and he touched her arm in an effort to reassure her.

'Now, I can talk you through this whole thing, step by step or I can let you rest while I work. What's your preference?' he asked.

'Hum…' Sara murmured.

She'd been walked through the whole process and told what to expect, how he would insert a needle into a large vein, then use the needle to thread the pacemaker wires into the vein and place them into her heart muscle. Suddenly, a play-by-play description didn't seem like such a good idea.

'I think I'll just rest' she finally said.

'Sounds like a plan' he responded with a smile.

Sara closed her eyes, intent on keeping her mind occupied. She thought back to Neal's description of the Champs Élysées and she imagined the two of them seated at a small café in the middle of the busy square, surrounded by throngs of people, yet focussed solely on each other. With a sigh, she let the image take root in her barely conscious mind.

WCWCWC

'Wow… maybe old man Bosch isn't as mean and ornery as we thought' Peter commented as the two men strolled through the hospital grounds.

'I was surprised too but… everybody's got regrets, right?' Neal replied. 'I think coming face to face with Iris Hastings and seeing how sick she was brought out the softer side of him.'

'So what happens now?'

'That depends on him. He said something about working out the return of the stolen items with Rebecca. I get the feeling he's not going to push it any further than that' Neal said, slowing down and taking a seat on a nearby bench.

'I guess there's something to be said for finding out you have a long-lost daughter' Peter replied, following suit. 'It's kind of a game changer.'

It was a beautiful early summer day, fragrant tulips and colourful daffodils in bloom and the men settled in side by side to continue their chat — all in an effort to keep Neal's mind occupied, not that Peter's not so subtle tactic was lost on his best friend.

'So, any news on the baby front?' Peter asked, moving on to their favourite topic.

'Except for the fact he could be arriving anytime… no' Neal replied, thankful to have a friend like Peter Burke.

'Cameron's a bit of a mess' Peter commented with a soft laugh. 'Yesterday, I caught him selling the same painting twice.'

Neal looked at his best friend and smiled. 'Oh, no!'

'It kind of reminded me of the day Sara went into labour. Remember?' Peter asked.

'How could I forget' Neal replied. 'You'd dragged me all the way out to Brooklyn during rush hour on the Campana case when we heard she'd gone into labour.'

'Yeah, you were a little… distracted, to say the least' Peter recollected.

Neal laughed as he recalled that crazy day, the anticipation and excitement he'd felt as Peter rushed them back to the hospital, trying desperately to get there in time. It had been a memorable day for so many reasons, not the least of which was the arrival of their beautiful firstborn. During her long hours of labour, Sara had fluctuated between being calm and focussed and being cranky and outspoken - typically Sara. Neal had always thought she was the most determined woman he'd ever met but that day, he'd been amazed to discover the extent of his then girlfriend's strength and courage as she'd pushed through, giving birth to the light of his life, their precious little Hope.

'It's kind of hard to believe Hope's going to be a mom' Neal mused, thoughtful.

'She's going to be great. After all, she's learned good parenting from the very best' he said, bringing his hand to rest on Neal's shoulder.

'It didn't exactly start out that way' Neal reminded Peter as he recalled the restless hours following Hope's birth, how he'd panicked and escaped to one of Mozzie's out of town safe houses, convinced he was somehow going to mess up the whole parenting thing. Thankfully, not unlike today, Peter had come to his rescue, talking him down from the irrational fears the new dad had somehow let creep into his psyche.

'Awww, that was just a brief moment of panic' Peter said good-naturedly. 'You've been there for both your kids from the moment they were born.'

Neal shook his head and laughed heartily.

'What?' Peter asked, puzzled as to Neal's reaction.

'I just… who would have thought we'd end up here. An FBI handler and his criminal informant' Neal mused, shaking his head in disbelief.

'No matter how much you liked to think of yourself as a ruthless conman back then, you were never going to be a hardened criminal. You're just not wired that way.'

Neal gave his best friend an eyebrow wag. 'Took me long enough to figure _that_ out.'

'But you did and here we are' Peter said.

'Here we are…' Neal repeated, thoughtful, his mind returning to Sara.

He checked his watch; as much as he was enjoying the beautiful summer day, he didn't want his wife to be wheeled into the recovery room only to find he wasn't there for her.

'We should get back, just in case' he said, getting to his feet.

WCWCWC

 _Sara took a deep breath, the smell of fresh croissants hitting her nostrils._

 _'_ _That smells heavenly' she cooed as Neal smiled back at her._

 _'_ _I told you… best croissants you've ever tasted.'_

 _She'd been to Paris several times in her lifetime, always for business but having Neal with her to share the sights and sounds made everything more intense, more magical._

 _'_ _You were right' she replied with an unrestrained grin as she took a sip from her bowl of café au lait._

 _'_ _So, you ready to hit the Louvre after lunch?' he asked, reaching for her hand across the tiny table of the small bistro._

 _She closed her eyes, and let the ambient sounds wash over her. 'I suppose… I just don't want this moment to end.'_

 _'_ _It doesn't have to end. You can wrap this little moment up in a tidy red bow and keep this memory forever' he reminded her._

 _'_ _A tidy red bow…' she repeated dreamily. 'I like that.'_

 _She brought her hand to rest on her chest, feeling a gaping hole there and she gasped in response._

 _'_ _What happened?' she cried as she removed her hand, noticing it was dripping with blood._

 _'_ _It's nothing, baby, you're fine' Neal replied, his face confused._

 _'_ _No I'm not!' she cried out, getting to her feet. 'There's a huge, gaping hole in my chest.'_

 _Suddenly, they were no longer in the quaint little café but on some sordid street corner, surrounded by crowds of people who were all stopping to stare at her._

 _'_ _Neal…' she cried, her voice desperate._

 _'_ _It's going to be okay' he said, not sounding certain in the least._

 _'_ _No, it's not going to be okay' she cried, looking around at the throngs of strangers._

 _She turned to look back at Neal but he was gone, leaving her all alone as everyone continued to gawk._

 _'_ _Neal! Neal!' she cried._

'How are you doing there, Sara?' she heard a voice say, far away.

But that wasn't Neal's voice.

'Sara?' the voice repeated as her eyes fluttered open.

'You okay?' the man said.

It took her a moment to place him. Dr. Hines, that was his name she realized as she came to.

'We're all done. We're going to take you to the recovery room. Your husband is waiting for you there' he explained. 'Everything went perfectly according to plan, you're all set.'

Sara nodded, still disoriented as reality slowly set in. Her breathing slowed and her heart rate seemed to settle in her chest but she wouldn't feel quite right until she laid eyes on Neal.

WCWCWC

The next time she opened her eyes, Neal was standing over her, his hand tangled up in her hair.

'There you are' he murmured lovingly. 'You had a long nap.'

Her hand went instantly to her chest, the memories flooding back.

'Hey, hey, don't touch that' Neal urged, taking her hand in his. 'You're all bandaged up.'

She took a deep breath, quieting her mind and connecting with reality.

'You did great, honey' Neal said with a warm smile. 'And it's all over.'

Sara nodded, her voice still stuck in her throat.

Neal just kept smiling down at her and she began to relax, responding to his loving grin.

'Now, we can finally get married…' he said, obviously relieved that the whole thing was behind them. '…unless you've changed your mind.'

She smiled and shook her head, giving in to his charm. 'No…' she whispered weakly.

'Good. Because everybody's coming and there's going to be tons of food and you know how I feel about wasting food…' Neal teased as he ran his hand lovingly through her hair.

She nodded. 'Yeah, let's do it. Let's get married' she murmured, her voice gaining strength.

'They're going to move you to another room in a few minutes and everybody's out there, waiting to see you. Hope, Liam, Emily, Cam, Cody, Caitlin, Peter and Elizabeth. Even Mozzie. I couldn't keep them away' Neal offered, his eyes twinkling.

'Okay…' Sara replied, now fully grounded in reality, which as it turned out, wasn't so terrible.

'And I had to tell everybody else to wait until I get you home tomorrow to visit… you know, Lydia and Sam, Diana and Christie, Clinton and Ivy' he continued. 'You're a rock star, babe.'

She gave him a look of mock annoyance.

'Thank you…' she murmured, bringing her hand to rest on Neal's cheek.

'Hey… smile' he said. 'The worst is behind us, now all you have to do is sit back and let all of us spoil you.'

Sara nodded; maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

TBC


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

The moment she walked into the store, Caitlin spotted Will perched up on a step ladder, stocking shelves with large bags of dog food. From this angle, she could view his whole body and she stood in a quiet moment of appreciation, scrutinizing his buff physique, his long muscular legs, his cute little bubble butt, his lean torso and his ripped arms as they reached for the uppermost shelf.

'A little birdie told me you had a break coming up' she called out as she drew nearer.

He glanced down, pleasantly surprised to find her standing there, holding a bag of fast food and a tray of drinks in her hand.

'Blondie! What are you doing here?' he asked, beginning his descent down the ladder.

'I just thought you might want to share an order of onion rings' she replied with a grin. 'And I got us a couple of chocolate shakes.'

His feet hit the ground and his eyes met hers, mischievous and full of life. 'Chocolate shakes, huh? We've only been seeing each other a couple of weeks and you already know all my vices.'

She shrugged and gave him an eyebrow wag. 'So, can you take a few minutes?'

'Yeah, yeah, let me just tell my manager I'm taking a break' Will responded as he headed over towards the back of the store.

Caitlin looked around; she'd been in the store lots of times to pick up food for Raffie but now she had a much better reason to hang out there. Within seconds, Will was back and he escorted her through the back room out to a small grassed area with a picnic table.

'So, this is where you guys hang out' Caitlin said, taking a seat and setting the food down on the table between them.

'There have to be _some_ perks to being employed as a clerk in a pet store' Will replied self-deprecatingly.

'So, what brings you out here, anyway?' he asked, reaching for a burger from Caitlin's outstretched hand.

'I was at the hospital visiting Sara and then I remembered you were working tonight and I thought you might like some company for your dinner break' she explained.

'Good thinking' he replied with a grin. 'So, how is she?'

'Fine, she only has to stay over one night but her hospital room was packed, Hope and Liam were there and Emily, Cody, Peter and Elizabeth. It was all a little too much so I thought I'd sneak out and come and find you.'

'So the surgery went well?' he asked, reaching for his drink.

'Yeah, she's all bandaged up but she seemed in good spirits. She'll need to rest for a few days but she should be back on her feet in no time. Mr. C was doting on her, like he always does, and she was actually letting him…'

'Those two are amazing together' Will agreed wistfully. 'When I was a kid, I used to find any excuse I could think of to hang out at their place. I'd never seen a happily married couple before I met Mr. and Mrs. Caffrey and I always thought Liam was so lucky to have parents who were so in love.'

Caitlin looked across at him, circumspect; he'd been opening up to her more and more and she appreciated the fact that he trusted her enough to share his thoughts and feelings with her.

'When I first moved in with them, I thought it was all an act - there was no way people behaved like that, all that good-natured ribbing and all those fleeting looks and touches. But, believe me, they're _always_ like that' she commented with a laugh, watching Will's reaction.

'It wasn't so great at your place growing up, I take it?' she added, detecting a look of sadness in his eyes.

'My dad always worked long hours when I was young. He was hardly ever home and when he _was_ home, all my parents ever did was fight. And my mom… well, she's got way too much time on her hands. She goes to a lot of charity things but her heart's not in it and she used to fill those empty hours with a continuous happy hour.'

'Does she still drink?' Caitlin asked.

'Yeah. But it's all very… cultured and sophisticated, you know. She'll start at noon with a few martinis at some luncheon she's at and then she'll come home and have a few more before dinner… and then, there's wine with dinner and she'll have a couple of nightcaps after that. Truth is, I've never seen her falling down drunk but I'm not sure I've ever seen her stone cold sober either. She's always got a good buzz on.'

'Well, my mom's an ugly drunk' Caitlin mused. 'She's loud and boisterous and she draws attention to herself. I hate that.'

Will seemed to grow uncomfortable with the subject - surely, there were more interesting topics than both their mothers' love affairs with booze.

'This is great, Caitlin!' he said, taking a huge bite of his burger. 'Thanks for coming by; I was starved.'

'So…' she began, looking into his eyes. 'How did it go?'

'How did _what_ go?' he asked innocently.

'Will… stop it!' she replied with an eye roll.

He laughed, enjoying the fact she was so easy to wind up.

'It was fine. It took longer than I thought, though. My appointment was at 10:00 and I met with a counsellor for about thirty minutes and we chatted about my interests and goals. She had some good questions… got me thinking. And then, they set me up in a small room and there was a written questionnaire that took about an hour to fill out.'

'Was it hard?' she asked.

'No, I just did what you suggested, I tried not to overthink things and just answered instinctively. They gave me a follow-up appointment next week to discuss the results.'

Caitlin smiled; she was happy for him. She'd managed to talk him into visiting the university's counselling services to discuss a possible change of major. Once there, they had suggested some career counselling to see where his skills and interests lay and he'd decided to take the plunge and make an appointment for some proper testing.

'I'm really happy for you' she said.

'Well, don't get ahead of yourself' he warned. 'I haven't done anything… yet.'

'Yes, you have. You've decided to find out what's out there and you've opened yourself up to some new possibilities. I'd say that's a pretty big first step.'

'Thanks to you' he replied, taking her hand. 'I never would have had the nerve to do it if you hadn't encouraged me' he said.

She looked at him from under her thick lashes, self-conscious at the praise.

'So, are you going to eat that last onion ring?' she asked, reaching for it.

WCWCWC

The constant parade of visitors had left Sara exhausted and by 9:00, she was practically begging Neal to go home and get a good night's sleep. She would be released from hospital in the morning and she would be getting back to her life… her _new_ life as a bionic woman.

'I can stay a little while longer' Neal offered as he lingered by her bedside.

'Why? I'm about to nod off any second' Sara argued.

'I _love_ watching you sleep, you know that' he teased.

'Yeah, so you can make fun of how I drool' she responded wryly. 'Forget it, Caffrey. Go home and feed the dog and come back for me in the morning, okay?'

Neal could see he wasn't going to make much headway and truth was, he _was_ pretty exhausted from hanging out at the hospital all day. It certainly was tempting to think about going home, putting his feet up and getting a bite to eat before turning in.

'You sure?' he asked, doing his due diligence.

'One hundred percent' she replied without hesitation. 'Go. You've been sitting in that hard plastic chair all day and I don't want to have to put up with you complaining about your back acting up again, old man.'

He chuckled at her awkward attempt at humour and leaned in to kiss her goodnight.

'All right. You get a good night's sleep, Repo. Tomorrow is the first day of your new life.'

She nodded. 'Goodnight' she replied with a sad smile.

She wasn't sure what lay ahead but Neal was along for the ride so that made everything a lot easier to face. She watched as he walked to the door and turned back to look at her longingly, hesitating to leave. She shooed him away with her hand and he relented, stepping out into the warm evening air.

WCWCWC

Neal lay back on the couch, letting the random sound of the television wash over him. He was tired, too tired to get his sorry ass off the couch and up to bed. He glanced across the room, recalling how less than twenty-four hours earlier, he was swaying with Sara in his arms, without a care in the world. He sighed loudly and he'd just sat up, intent on moving the party upstairs, when he heard the front door open.

'Hey, you're still up' Caitlin said, coming into view.

'Hey there' Neal replied. 'I wondered where you'd gotten to.'

'I just went over to see Will at work, bring him some dinner. So, how is she?'

'Damned if I know. She says she's fine and physically, I suppose she is but… this whole thing has really thrown her for a loop' Neal admitted, sounding defeated.

Caitlin took a seat across from her foster dad. 'You know Sara, once she starts moving around and doing all the things she used to do, she'll snap out of it. She just hates being sidelined.'

Neal seemed to perk up. 'You're right. There's plenty to keep her busy, the wedding is in less than three weeks and then there's Liam's birthday this weekend and the twin bachelor parties…'

'Oh, yeah…' Caitlin said with a faraway look in her eyes.

'What? You know something, don't you?' Neal said, ears perking up.

'Hey, hey. I'm sworn to secrecy, we _all_ are so don't even try' Caitlin laughed.

Neal scowled; he hated being on the receiving end of surprises.

'So, how's Will?' Neal asked, reluctantly accepting he wasn't going to get any dirt from her.

'Good. I suggested he look into getting some career counselling to see if he might like to change his major. He had some testing done today.'

'That's a great idea. He never really wanted to study law in the first place. I know Liam tried to get him to change his mind lots of times but… well, it looks like you might have the magic touch' Neal commented.

Caitlin looked away, slightly embarrassed yet pleased to know she might be having a positive influence on the young man - he was certainly having one on her.

Neal's face grew serious and he leaned forward. 'You might want to listen to the answering machine. Your mom left a message earlier tonight.'

Caitlin just sighed. 'I am so over her, Mr C' she moaned.

Neal's hand reached out to touch hers, closing the gap between them. 'For what it's worth, she sounded sober.'

Caitlin shook her head; she was constantly in a tug of war of emotions where her mother was concerned and she didn't know how much more she could take.

'Do _you_ think I should give her another chance?' the young woman asked, her face pained.

'I have no opinion on the subject' Neal replied wisely, just as he'd told her many times before. 'I just want you to be happy, Caitlin.'

'How did you know the time had come to forgive Grandma?' she asked, thinking of Neal's own tortured relationship with his mother.

'Everybody's different, sweetie. I was estranged from my mom for over thirty years. If it hadn't been for Sara pushing me into it, I never would have reached out to her' he mused as he thought of his mom and how much he missed her.

'But you did in the end' Caitlin reminded him.

Neal nodded and smiled. He'd wasted so many years, angry at his mom and he was grateful for having gotten to know her again over the last few years of her life, for having had the opportunity to have her close by and the chance to share his life with her.

'I was lucky… but every situation is unique and your mom isn't my mom. You need to do what's right for you' Neal said, getting to his feet.

He could see the look of anguish in his foster daughter's eyes. 'Honey, you're a great kid and you have great instincts. Just listen to your heart, that's all I can tell you. That way, you'll never have any regrets.'

He leaned in to kiss the top of her head. 'I'm off to bed before I keel over' he said.

Caitlin watched him leave; she was so lucky to have these wonderful people in her life. She looked longingly at the telephone nearby and sighed loudly.

WCWCWC

What should have been a quiet time of recuperation was quickly turning into a veritable circus as the Caffrey home became a revolving door for visitors over the next few days. Neal had to put his foot down and insist that Sara get the rest she needed as guest after guest paraded through the Caffrey home, all of them arriving with gifts and the very best of intentions.

At night, Sara made use of the pain medication to help her sleep although her rest was fitful as she tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in. She'd been instructed to sleep on her back with her arm under a pillow to keep the strain off her stitches. For the most part, she was sticking to the program but Neal had to constantly remind her not to lift her left arm or pick up anything even remotely heavy as Sara struggled to keep herself in check.

The extended family took turns watching over her, making sure someone was always there to see to her needs. Liam had lots of time on his hands, most of which he spent with Cody, making up for lost time. Hope was over a lot, making tea for her mom and just chatting about the exciting weeks that lay ahead for the mom-to-be. Emily was there too, hovering and trying to gauge the need for her presence; although she and Sara were truly enjoying their time together, she'd had to compete with all the other visitors who were vying for Sara's attention as one by one, they came by to cheer up the patient.

By Saturday, Sara was moving around more freely which made Neal's job a lot harder, considering he was busy trying to pull together a decent birthday dinner for their son.

'Honey, please stop doing that' he said to her as she sat at the kitchen island, chopping up some vegetables.

'Neal…' she said, taking a deep breath in order to reign in her frustration. 'I didn't hear the doctor say anything about not being able to chop up some vegetables.'

He dropped what he was doing and walked over, getting in her face as he spoke.

'Maybe not. But he did say you needed to keep from moving your arm too much and that you needed a lot of rest' he declared, grabbing the knife forcibly out of her hand.

'Ughh!' Sara bellowed. 'I am so sick of this. I want to do what I want to do.'

Neal exhaled, doing his best to keep his temper in check; he was trying, _really_ trying to see things from her point of view.

'And you will, baby, you will… just, not today' he replied.

She glared back at him and grabbed for the literature the doctor had given them, lying in a pile on the kitchen counter next to her. She let her eyes linger down the page, finding what she was looking for and she gave Neal an irritated glare before returning her gaze to the sheet of paper in her hands.

' _However_ ' she read pointedly, her voice serious. ' _It's important to keep your arm mobile by gently moving it to avoid getting a frozen shoulder._ '

Neal stared right back at her and grabbed the sheet of paper from her hand, a little too roughly for her taste.

' _Avoid activities that involve heavy lifting or rough contact to give your leads time to firmly attach to your heart tissue and allow your incision time to heal_ ' he countered with an angry look of his own.

'This does _not_ constitute _heavy lifting_ , Neal' Sara said loudly as she held up the cutting knife she'd been using and waved it menacingly in his face.

'You are the most… obstinate, pig-headed —' Neal began, his voice growing louder.

Sara's eyes grew in anger. 'And _you_ are the most condescending, sanctimonious… you are _smothering_ me, Neal!'

'Smothering you?' Neal continued, infuriated. 'Well, excuuuuse me for caring about you.'

Unbeknownst to the feuding couple, Emily had been witnessing the spectacle from the nearby family room. What had begun as their usual good-natured sparring was evolving into an out and out blowup of mammoth proportions. She'd never seen Sara and Neal go at it like that, nor did she have any interest in seeing it now, especially when one of them was brandishing a knife.

She stood from her seat in the family room and headed for the nearby kitchen, intent on doing some damage control.

'Hey, I've got an idea' she suggested, making her way to stand next to her sister. 'Why don't you and I go for a little walk and let Neal finish up in here. Raffie looks like he could use some fresh air and it's a beautiful day out there.'

Sara glared at her sister and turned back to stare at Neal, anger oozing from every pore of her body.

'Fine' she said curtly, throwing the knife down before standing and turning on her heels.

Emily followed suit, glancing surreptitiously over her shoulder only to find Neal giving a good sturdy kick to the poor, defenceless garbage can as its contents spilled over onto the kitchen floor.

Happy times…

WCWCWC

The two women strolled through the quiet Prospect Park neighbourhood, Raffie trying his best to keep up. It was a glorious early summer day, the sun was shining brightly and Sara began to slowly let go of the anger and frustration that had been building for the last couple of days.

'Is he always like that?' Emily asked as they walked.

'You mean cloying and annoying?'

Emily scoffed. 'No, I meant sweet and loving.'

'Oh, is that what you call that little display of… whatever that was' Sara replied mordantly.

'I'll admit Neal can be a little… overbearing at times but I can see it comes from a place of love' Emily reminded her sister.

Sara scoffed in response, not quite ready to let go of the last remnants of resentment.

'Look, Sara, I think this whole thing has really scared Neal. He wants to do everything he can to make sure you get better and he thinks that's what he's doing when he… hovers like that. Maybe this whole thing has even conjured up thoughts of his own mortality. Men are funny that way.'

Sara concentrated on breathing in and out; she was furious with Neal for coddling her. She was a strong, determined woman, certainly capable of making her own decisions and looking out for herself. She looked up at her sister, taking in her words of wisdom and realizing Emily had her own experiences to draw from.

'You never talk much about Mike' she said, referring to Emily's late husband. 'What was _he_ like?'

'Actually…' Em replied with a wistful smile. 'He was a lot like Neal. Sweet, kind, thoughtful and he was an amazing father.'

'It's sad that you two had so little time together' Sara mused.

'I was lucky to have found him' Emily replied. 'I was pretty damaged by then and he… he helped me build myself back up.'

Sara looked at the bittersweet smile on her sister's face. 'I guess I shouldn't complain about Neal just because he cares _too much_ sometimes.'

Emily shrugged. 'I wouldn't if I were you. I found out the hard way that it can all be taken away from you in the blink of an eye. Having someone to watch over you… well, not everyone has that in their lives. Neal would do anything for you, Sara, anything to keep you safe, to make you happy and my guess is he's feeling pretty crappy about arguing with you right about now.'

'Good' Sara said spitefully before catching herself. 'I don't mean that. He just… exasperates me sometimes and the irony is… when he's going through a rough time, I tend to dote on him too.'

'I rest my case' Emily said, taking her sister's arm.

WCWCWC

The guests had begun to converge on the old homestead by the time Emily and Sara returned from their walk and except for a brief exchange of tentative smiles when their eyes met briefly, Neal and Sara didn't mention what had happened and simply carried on with the business of getting ready to welcome their guests to Liam's special birthday dinner.

Hope sat on the back deck with her aunt Elizabeth and uncle Peter, their voices hushed while Cameron, Mozzie, Liam and Cody were settled in the family room around some innocuous video game - overgrown adolescents, the bunch of them. Meanwhile, Caitlin was in the kitchen marinating chicken alongside Neal who was busy concocting his famous ribs rub and finishing up a potato salad.

'I'm going to go change before everybody else gets here' Sara announced to no one in particular as she headed upstairs.

Neal glanced over at his sister-in-law in an attempt to find out if his wife had thawed at all since they'd left the house. Emily gave him a subtle head nod in the direction of the stairs.

'Why don't I take over here' she suggested as Neal smiled back in appreciation.

'Thanks' he muttered as he followed his wife up the stairs.

He found her looking through her closet for something to wear and he tiptoed in and perched himself on the edge of the bed, trying to get a sense as to whether or not his presence was welcome — or would even be tolerated.

'Hi' he murmured as she turned to face him.

'Hi' she smiled back.

'Can I… can I give you a hand with anything?' he asked.

She appreciated him making the effort to ask first and not just assume she needed the help. 'I… yeah, that would be nice.'

Neal got to his feet and joined her, both of them facing the large closet where Sara's numerous outfits were displayed, all in a perfect row, hanging off wooden hangers.

'Maybe you can unzip me' she said softly as she lifted her hair out of the way and turned her back to him.

Neal reached for the zipper of her dress and slid it down, watching as the dress instantly fell to the floor and Sara stepped out of it. Without a word, he leaned down to pick it up and he grabbed a hanger, proceeding to hang it up in the closet, alongside the rest of her clothes. It was a pretty floral pattern dress and would have been perfectly suitable to wear for the occasion but, knowing Sara, she'd probably decided days ago what she wanted to wear for their son's birthday celebration.

'I was thinking this one… or this one' she said, pointing to two dresses as she stood there in her lace bra and panties.

She was sporting a fairly large dressing on her incision which would remain in place until she saw the doctor again the following week. Neal's eyes were drawn to it, followed by his fingers as he gently traced the outline of the bandage. Seeing her relax, he leaned in and placed a tender kiss on the bandage, a kiss so soft she couldn't feel it through the thick gauze.

'I'm sorry' he murmured. 'I was out of line. I've been treating you like a child and you're a grown woman… a very capable grown woman I might add and you can certainly decide things for yourself.'

'I'm sorry too…' she countered with an impish smile. 'Mostly for waving a knife in your face.'

Neal chuckled. 'I guess I can be a little… overbearing at times' he admitted, looking remorseful.

'You think?' she countered with just a touch of sarcasm. 'Look, I know you're only doing this because you love me but sometimes… it feels like you're smothering me. Do you think maybe you could _love_ me just a little bit less.'

'No can do' he said, growing emotional and reaching over to caress her cheek.

'But I do promise to give you a bit more space' he added, his voice soft. '…if _you_ promise to be careful.'

'And I promise to be careful… if you give me a bit more space' she replied with the same loving look in her eyes.

They laughed and hugged gingerly, Sara's left arm curled up protectively against her body to keep from causing any more pain.

They slowly untangled and Neal looked over at the two dresses Sara had been contemplating.

'So, what are we going for here, quiet sophistication or casual chic?' he asked as he studied the choices.

'Tell you what' she replied, placing a sweet kiss on his cheek. 'Why don't _you_ decide?'

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

While Sara was busy slipping into a brightly coloured summer dress, there was plotting going on downstairs on the Caffrey's backyard deck. Although the plans for Neal's bachelor party were pretty well set, Elizabeth was still struggling with a theme for Sara's party - something her best friend would enjoy in light of her recent health issues. As part of the two bachelor parties, she and Peter had been plotting a 'twenty-five years later' version of the newlywed game where Neal and Sara would be quizzed about how well they knew each other.

'So, how's that going to work?' Hope asked, confused.

'We'll play the game at your dad's bachelor party using the answers your mom gives us and vice-versa' Peter explained.

Hope giggled, hand on her belly. 'Oh, no! Now, I want to be a fly on the wall at Daddy's party too.'

Emily stepped out carrying a tray of glasses and a pitcher of lemonade which she lay on the table before the guests. 'Anybody thirsty?' she asked.

'Just in time' Elizabeth said. 'I was just about to get Hope's opinion on a theme for Sara's bachelorette party. At first, I was going to suggest we have a sexy lingerie party but…'

Emily and Hope exchanged concerned looks.

'I don't think that's such a good idea, Auntie El' Hope offered without much hesitation. 'Mom's feeling really self-conscious, I don't thing this is a good time to be focussing on lingerie.'

'I thought you might say that' El said, looking over at Emily. 'She's okay though, isn't she?'

'Yeah, yeah, she's fine. Just a little… touchy' Emily replied. 'But by the time the party rolls around, I'm sure she'll be back to her old self. Let's just concentrate on giving her a great night.'

'What about a wine tasting?' El suggested. 'I have a great contact… and he comes with a half dozen gorgeous hunks who could do the food service for us.'

'Who's going to say no to that!' Emily exclaimed as she took a seat and proceeded to pour lemonade for everyone.

'I meant to ask, how did your meeting with Rhett go?' El asked the two women.

To Elizabeth's surprise, Emily seemed ill at ease at the mention of the man's name.

'Great!' Hope replied. 'He thinks the book has a lot of potential and we're meeting him the week after next with some layouts. He's running the concept by a couple of publishing houses.'

'Wow! That's incredible' El said, picking up on some awkwardness. 'Is there a… down side?'

Hope looked sideways at her aunt Emily whose cheeks were reddening. 'No… no downside.'

'It's just coffee!' Emily blurted out, seemingly giving Hope the green light to come clean.

'He's sweet on Aunt Emily' Hope confessed, eyes twinkling. 'He asked her out on a date.'

'Coffee!' Emily repeated loudly. 'That's hardly a date, Hope.'

Hope looked over at Elizabeth, raising her eyebrows and shaking her head. She mouthed the word 'date' as Emily slapped her arm good-naturedly.

'Stop it, Hope, you're being ridiculous' she whined, sounding like a smitten sixteen year old.

'Well, Rhett's a great guy, not bad looking either' Elizabeth conceded. 'We've known him for years, haven't we, honey?' she said, turning to Peter, who's eyes were glazing over from all the girl talk.

'Great guy' he echoed, getting to his feet and heading towards the house. 'I'm going to go see what the guys are up to.'

Elizabeth's mind was racing; she still had so much to do to get Sara's bachelorette party sorted out and there were still tons of details for the wedding to finalize. Time was running out.

'Oh, and did you manage to get those pictures I asked for?' El asked, addressing Hope.

'Mission accomplished, although Mom caught me going through our family albums. I had to tell her I was looking for a picture of her and Dad to put in J—' Hope stopped suddenly, bringing her hand to her mouth as she realized she'd almost spilled the beans on the baby's name.

Elizabeth and Emily looked at each other, grinning widely; finally a hint. They reigned in their glee as they saw the look of horror on Hope's face.

'It's okay, honey. We didn't hear a thing' Emily said, placing a hand on Hope's arm.

'Hear a thing about what?' came Sara's voice as she appeared in the doorway, looking fit and relaxed.

'You never mind' El said, standing and giving up her chair. ' _You_ are the bride-to-be so for the next couple of weeks, you're just going to have to go with the flow and let us take care of things. By the way…' she added, studying her best friend '…you look amazing in that dress.'

WCWCWC

Liam's birthday celebration was a hit; the young man was thrilled to be surrounded by all his friends and family. There was great food and lots of laughter and everyone departed with a full stomach and a warm glow. Sara had hung on as long as she could, despite the nagging fatigue, but by the time the guests left, she'd crawled upstairs to get ready for bed. The Burkes and Armstrongs headed back to Brooklyn and Cody convinced Liam to go out for a nightcap before turning in, leaving Neal, Emily and Caitlin to finish tidying up.

'If you want to go up and check on Sara, we can handle things down here, right Caitlin?' Emily said to Neal.

'Sure' the young woman said, getting up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on Neal's cheek.

'Goodnight Mr. C.'

'Thanks. Goodnight' Neal replied, heading upstairs to see to his wife's needs.

Sara had been instructed not to take a bath or shower until her follow-up appointment the following week and Neal had taken it upon himself to help her with bathing as well as changing her bandage - even though she would have been more than capable of doing it by herself. It was a boring, routine chore but Neal had found a way to make it fun — as only he could.

He glanced into the bedroom, noticing Sara already tucked into bed, eyes drooping as she tried to watch the local news. Once in the bathroom, he collected the supplies needed to carry out the task and within minutes, he appeared, carrying everything needed for her daily sponge bath and change of dressing.

Sara stirred, grimacing at the sight of him. 'Not tonight…' she whined as Neal settled on the edge of the bed.

'Come on, babe. You can sleep through the whole thing if you want…' he said with a playful eyebrow wag '…you know, like you do when we have sex.'

She groaned at his attempt at humour and slipped out from under the covers, giving in without much of a fight.

'Make it quick' she mumbled as she sat up and watched Neal bring the large basin of warm water a little closer.

'You know, you can't keep giving me sponge baths like an invalid for the rest of my life' she complained as Neal pushed back a strand of hair from her forehead and lovingly brought the warm sponge up to wash her face.

'Why not? I kind of enjoy running my hands all over your hot little body' he teased, trying to keep things light.

Sara rolled her eyes, reluctant to admit she was enjoying the attention. Neal accidentally skimmed the tender skin on the side of her neck and she couldn't help but giggle in response to the soft tickle. Although his touch wasn't sexual, it was definitely sensual and she had to admit that having Neal's hands on her, for any reason at all, was certainly enjoyable; leave it to her wonderful husband to take something as mundane as a sponge bath and make it one of the highlights of her day.

'Remember the night you shaved my privates…' he recalled with a grin as he continued to work. '…the night before my vasectomy. I was scared shitless and I was trying to act like it was no big deal.'

' _Trying_ being the operative word' she replied with a chuckle, as Neal gingerly removed her t-shirt. 'You were terrified about the procedure and you weren't too thrilled about me hovering over you with a sharp razor pointed at your junk.'

'Well, it _did_ help that you were wearing that sexy little bustier' he murmured as he ran the sponge up and down her arms. 'Whatever happened to that thing, you haven't worn it in a long time.'

'I retired it' she replied as she leaned forward to allow him access to her back.

'You should bring it with us to Paris' he said, wagging his eyebrows. 'It's really hot.'

Sara rolled her eyes; who knew when she'd start to feel sexy again - or _if_ she ever would.

'All right, let's check your incision' Neal said, his face growing serious.

The dressing required changing every day and the incision needed to be disinfected and checked for any leaking or redness. Sara settled on her back, bringing her left arm up tight against her body in order to minimize the discomfort and she watched as Neal gently tugged at the bandage, careful not to pull excessively at the tender skin underneath.

'Okay?' he asked as she nodded.

Sara didn't have a whole lot of meat on her bones and the lump beneath her breastbone where the pacemaker had been implanted was visible to the naked eye. Neal concentrated his attention on the sutures noting that the two inch incision, although still quite raw, appeared clean and free of infection.

'That looks great, babe' Neal said with a straight face as Sara scoffed.

'Yeah, great' she mumbled, under her breath.

'Sara… come on. It'll fade, you just need to give it some time' he attempted as he worked, gingerly dabbing the incision with antiseptic and placing a clean gauze overtop.

'Yeah… right' she replied, unimpressed.

Neal stopped what he was doing and looked her straight in the eye. 'Scars are a sign of survival' he reminded her, not for the first time.

He took her hand in his and brought it to his chest, fumbling to lift his shirt and letting her hand linger on the long scar on his stomach where he'd been operated following his shooting, years before.

'See?' he said. 'Is _this_ all you see when you look at me?'

Her gaze softened as he brought her hand down to touch his right thigh. 'What about this less than sexy pucker on my leg from when I was shot in Cape Verde? Does that ever bother you when we're making love?'

'Of course not' she replied, shaking her head adamantly.

'Babe, everybody's got scars' he said, reaching down and letting his hand caress the long cicatrix on her lower belly - the one she'd had for over twenty years. 'This one… saved your life and brought you back to me. And this one…' he added as he gently dipped his head and placed a soft kiss on her breastbone, '…well, this one is a promise that you'll be with me for another twenty-five years.'

Sara nodded, swallowing hard. Her pride was often misplaced and even though she had no reason to doubt Neal's words of wisdom, it didn't make the present situation any easier to accept. At a loss for what to say, she sniffled and grumbled, electing to change the subject instead.

She'd been so wrapped up in her own little pity party, she hadn't stopped to think about what he might be going through. Earlier in the day, Neal had mentioned he might like to test the waters and have a glass of wine with dinner, see how that felt but she hadn't noticed him having anything but the sparkling water he usually opted for during family gatherings.

'I didn't see you having a drink with dinner' she commented, searching his eyes. 'Did you change your mind?'

Neal continued to work away, avoiding her gaze as he concentrated on taping the clean dressing to her chest.

'I… I decided I'm not ready' he mumbled.

Sara sighed. This was a really big deal for him and she needed to let him know she was supportive of whatever he decided to do.

'Hey, look at me Caffrey' she said as his eyes moved up to look at her.

She brought her hand up to caress his cheek. 'You know you don't have anything to prove to anyone, right? I won't pretend I'm not nervous about you trying but if you want to try having a drink, it's fine with me. I trust you, Neal… but don't feel pressured to do something you're not ready to do, not for me anyway.

'So, you'd be okay if I don't have champagne at the wedding?' Neal asked, already certain of her answer.

'Of course I would' Sara said, forcing him to look into her eyes. 'We'll get the best bottle of sparkling cider we can find and we'll toast to each other. Neal, I don't need champagne… I just need you.'

Neal seemed uncomfortable with the topic of discussion and he returned to the task at hand, running the soapy sponge across her abdomen, and down her legs, working slowly and methodically. He worked in silence for a few moments until Sara began to fidget, growing increasingly exhausted.

'Could you please hurry up honey, I'm really tired' she moaned, her eyes closing despite her best efforts to stay alert.

'Yes ma'am' Neal replied with a grin.

He finished up and helped Sara slip back into her t-shirt and under the blankets before tidying up the supplies on the tray he'd brought in with him.

'Here' he said, handing her some pain medication along with a glass of water. He tucked her back into bed, making certain to prop her left arm up on a pillow and he brought his lips to her forehead.

'All done' he murmured lovingly, heading back to the bathroom to put everything away.

'Neal…' she called out sleepily as he made it to the doorway and turned back to look at her. 'Thank you… for everything.'

'Don't mention it' he whispered with a wink.

By the time he returned to the bedroom, Sara was sound asleep.

WCWCWC

'So, how'd you come across this place, anyway?' Liam asked, looking around the trendy gay bar Cody had insisted they visit in order to close out his twentieth birthday celebration.

'This place is popular with the guys from university - and they're pretty lax about checking your ID if you're a regular' he explained, returning to his mug of beer.

Liam looked down at his brand new watch once more - not so much to check the time but rather to admire the new piece of jewelry.

'So, you like it?' Cody asked.

'I love it' Liam enthused. 'But you really shouldn't spend so much on me.'

Cody leaned over to kiss his boyfriend. 'What's the point of having spending money if I can't spoil my favourite person in the whole world.'

'You smooth talker' Liam replied with a wide grin.

Liam's phone vibrated on the nearby table and he glanced down to read the incoming text.

'Josh…' he said as he read. 'He wanted me to know he was sorry about the MVP thing.'

'So, you're not too disappointed?' Cody asked.

'Naw, it was a long shot anyway and once we got booted out of the playoffs, I figured I didn't have much of a chance' Liam replied with a shrug. 'There's always next year.'

Cody moved a little closer, bringing his arm around Liam and nuzzling his neck. 'Well, if it's any consolation, you'll always be _my_ MVP' he murmured in his ear.

'What more could a guy ask for' Liam responded with a naughty smile.

Cody sat back and looked over at his gorgeous boyfriend. 'So, did you like your birthday dinner?'

'Yeah, it was great - nothing out of the ordinary but I love hanging out with you and my family. There's just so much going on right now with my mom and this way, everybody got to be there.'

Cody nodded; he loved Liam's no-nonsense approach to life, so easy and uncomplicated.

'She looked pretty good, a little quieter than usual but still…' Cody remarked.

'She's a master at masking her feelings' Liam admitted. 'Believe me, I've been living with her all my life and she can fool just about anybody… except my dad.'

'Have you started working on your speech for his bachelor party yet?'

Liam scowled; he didn't like to be the centre of attention at the best of times. Not only was he expected to say a few words as best man at the wedding, now he had to come up with some clever anecdotes for his dad's bachelor party as well.'

'I'm going to need some help. I'm not much of a comic and this is supposed to be funny…'

'Well, I've only been hanging around your family for about six years, but I've seen plenty. I'll give you a hand' Cody offered as he took a sip of beer.

Liam seemed to let his mind wander as the measured beat of the music continued, unrelenting, in the background.

'So, what do you think about Will and Caitlin?' he finally asked his boyfriend, something that was still eating at him.

Cody shrugged; he didn't really have an opinion one way or the other although it was obvious Liam was irked by the duo's budding romance. Will Allenby had been in Liam's life much longer than he had and Cody had learned to accept that the young man would always be important to Liam and that Liam would always make time for his best friend no matter what else was going on in their busy lives.

'Why do you suppose it bothers _you_ so much?' Cody asked pointedly.

Liam's face grew serious, those pesky lines appearing on his forehead. 'I don't know… I guess I feel protective of Will after all he went through with Josie.'

Cody nodded; he'd been there that infamous night when the young woman had publicly humiliated Will in front of the whole school by dumping him in the middle of the dance floor at prom. But that was two years ago; Will was a grown man and Cody figured he could certainly take care of himself.

'I'll admit I would have hated being in his shoes that night but he got a lot of support from all of us and he's not made of porcelain, babe.'

Liam reflected on what Cody was saying. 'Yeah, but you don't know Caitlin like I do. She can be cutting and sarcastic.'

'But she doesn't have a malicious bone in her body' Cody reminded his boyfriend.

'That's true' Liam reflected. 'But I just hate the thought of her hurting Will if she ever decides to break it off with him.'

'He didn't look like he was suffering much when I walked in on them earlier. They were really going at it in the kitchen' Cody shared, eyebrow raised.

'Really?' Liam replied with a grimace.

Cody leaned in, letting his hand linger up Liam's arm and settle around his neck as he played with his hair. He brought his face closer, his lips mere inches from Liam's.

'Why don't you worry a little bit more about _me_ and a little bit less about Will' he murmured with a playful smile.

Liam's face brightened. 'Oh, have I been neglecting you?' he teased, bridging the gap between them and kissing his boyfriend's inviting lips.

'Maybe… but there's still time to make it up to me' Cody replied with a flirtatious smirk.

WCWCWC

The house was quiet when Liam returned and he found Caitlin all alone, tidying up the last of the remnants from dinner.

'What are you doing down here all by yourself?' Liam asked as he made his way into the kitchen to join her.

'I sent your aunt Emily upstairs, she was tired and she's got an early flight in the morning. And your dad went up to check on your mom a while ago and never came back.'

Liam came closer, grabbing a tea towel and proceeding to take the last of the pots from Caitlin's hands.

'So, did you have fun tonight?' she asked.

'Yeah, I did. It was nice to have everybody here' Liam admitted. 'You?'

'Of course! Caffrey get-togethers are always a hoot' she said, leaning against the counter and looking up at him.

'Will was telling me he went in for some career counselling. Sounds like you found a way to get to him; I've been trying for almost two years' he admitted sheepishly.

Caitlin smiled. 'He was probably just ready to hear it' she said, self-deprecatingly.

'Or maybe you've got more influence on him than you realize' Liam grudgingly admitted. 'He seems to really like you a lot.'

'Well, the feeling's mutual. I know it's still early days but I really, really like him, Liam' Caitlin confided. 'Look, I know you're not crazy about the idea of me dating Will.'

Liam shrugged, not denying the statement.

'Who said I didn't like the idea of the two of you?' he asked, only half serious.

Caitlin frowned in response. 'You've got an awful lot of qualities Liam but you're kind of transparent when it comes to your feelings.'

'Did Will ever tell you about his break-up with Josie?' Liam asked.

'Yeah' Caitlin said, nodding. 'He said she dumped him in front of the whole school and left the prom with another guy.'

Liam nodded, recalling that fateful night when he and a few of their friends had been left to pick up the pieces after the most dramatic break-up in the history of White Plains High.

'He was devastated and humiliated. It's taken him a long time to get over it and I think it's affected his self-confidence when it comes to standing up to his dad' Liam explained.

'You're probably right but… you need to know I would never treat him that way, no matter what ends up happening between us. Will is sweet and gentle and kind…' she said, touching Liam's arm '… as a matter of fact, he reminds me a lot of you.'

Liam listened and watched as her gaze softened. 'I know I haven't always been very nice to you' she began as he scoffed. 'I can be a real pain in the ass but I didn't grow up with brothers and sisters and I don't always know how to behave. I know this is going to sound weird but… I think all those times I was pestering you, I just wanted to feel like I belonged somehow.'

'It's okay' Liam said, his voice quiet. 'I can take some teasing, after all I've got Hope as a sister.'

Caitlin chuckled but he could see she was growing emotional. 'Well, you shouldn't have to put up with it. I'm sorry Liam… I'm just so thankful to have all of you in my life and… the truth is I love you and Hope and I'm just so glad you've put up with having me here, sharing your mom and dad.'

Liam stared back, a forgiving smile on his lips.

He watched as Caitlin walked over to the kitchen cupboard, opening it and pulling out an envelope. 'Here, I didn't get a chance to give you your birthday present.'

Liam searched her eyes and smiled as he took the envelope from her.

'It's a gift certificate for that new restaurant in the Village. I thought you and Cody might enjoy a nice dinner out sometime this summer.'

Liam smiled and opened his arms to hug her. 'Thanks sis' he said.

When he pulled away, he could see tears forming in her eyes. 'You've never called me that before' she said, her voice shaking.

'Maybe it's time I started' he replied with a grin.

TBC


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

By the end of the following week, everyone had fallen into a familiar rhythm. The wedding was a mere ten days away, Emily had returned to Chicago, Liam had started his summer job, Sara had gone back to work at Sterling Bosch, Neal had resumed his daily visits to the gallery and to the school of art and Hope was ever closer to delivering her baby boy.

Her last appointment with Dr. Cooper had confirmed that the baby was in perfect position although there were no signs yet that the birth was imminent and she and Cameron had been sent home to continue cocooning and wait not so patiently for the arrival of their little bundle of joy.

On Tuesday night, the two of them drove out to White Plains and Cam and Neal put together the much too expensive crib Neal had bought months before in preparation for the frequent babysitting he and Sara hoped to be doing once the baby arrived. With Liam's help, the two men emptied out Hope's old bedroom on the second floor and proceeded to set up the beautiful white crib with its built-in drawers on the bottom where they could store some of the baby's things. Unbeknownst to Hope, her dad had painted a night sky scene complete with a crescent moon and bright gold stars against a gorgeous cobalt blue background. In delicate script, he'd painted the words: _You are loved to the moon and back,_ words that her dad had whispered to her on countless occasions when she was little and a sentiment that still made her heart swell with emotion.

Hope watched the men work as she rocked back and forth in the handmade rocker her parents had gotten from Peter's late uncle before Liam had been born. Sara busied herself, covering the crib's mattress with the colourful sheets she'd bought and she sent Grandpa Neal down to the basement to get the beautiful handmade quilt which had been stored there since Hope had been a baby. By evening's end, the room had been transformed into a delightful baby guest room, ready to receive its special guest.

On Wednesday, during her visit to Dr. Hines' office, Sara was given the green light to return to work as long as she didn't overexert herself and she'd been thrilled to go back, especially now that the mess with Iris Hastings was finally behind them. Neal had backed off, keeping a close eye on things from a distance as the two of them worked secretly - and separately - at preparing their wedding vows and keeping a few surprises from each other for the big day.

Sara kept her days at work short; although she felt energetic, there was still some residual tenderness at the incision site and she was constantly aware of the lump which had appeared above her breastbone - a perpetual reminder that she had a foreign object implanted in her chest. She no longer needed to wear the bandage and she was free to shower or bathe, something she took full advantage of - although she really _did_ miss those intimate sponge baths administered by her personal nurse.

Friday night, Neal went over to the Burkes for a visit and Sara put the kettle on in preparation for a visit from Mindy Miller. Cody's mom had called ahead and said she'd baked a cake she wanted to drop off and Sara was only too happy to spend some time with the woman who, over the past several years, had become a close friend. Mindy had been there for Sara when her sexual assault case had finally gone to trial, walking her through each and every step of the process and Sara would always be grateful to the woman for her kindness and support.

'This cake is amazing, Mindy. Thank you so much' Sara said as she took the last bite of the best chocolate layer cake she'd ever tasted, not that she would ever admit it to Neal.

'Cody mentioned Neal was going out tonight so I thought you might like some company' Mindy Miller replied.

'It's about to become a circus around here so I'm glad we've got some time to chat. Not sure I'll be able to sit and talk with everybody on the day of the wedding' Sara said. 'So, how's Mike?'

'He's great. Busy at work - but who isn't?' the petite blonde said. 'I'll bet you're glad to have Liam home for the summer, huh? I know Cody's thrilled.'

'Yeah, it's great to have more life in the house. Caitlin is out a lot with her summer job and sometimes it gets a little too quiet around here.'

'Well, you won't be saying that next weekend' Mindy commented.

Sara smiled. 'You know, I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to have the wedding here' she admitted. 'Neal and his grandiose ideas…'

'So, how many people are you expecting?'

'Last count… just over fifty' Sara said, her eyes wide. 'But Elizabeth is doing pretty well everything. She's even sending us to stay at a hotel right after the rehearsal dinner next Thursday - and we're not allowed back in the house until Sunday.'

'It must be nice to have a friend who's an event planner.'

'You're telling me. She's been amazing. And on top of everything else, she's organizing my bachelorette party next Saturday night.'

'That's going to be a hoot…' Mindy began with a giggle, suddenly growing quiet. She was privy to a couple of the surprises Elizabeth had in store for the bride and she realized she'd better keep her mouth shut if she didn't want to spill the beans.

'Cody tells me you two are leaving for your trip to Europe after the wedding' she settled on saying.

Sara sighed - a mix of anticipation and worry. 'We've got a flight out on Wednesday afternoon' she said. 'Neal and I have both been to Paris a few times but never together and we've been talking about doing this for a long time… I'm just not sure what's going to happen with Hope. She's not due until the day after we get back but I can't help but worry she might have the baby while we're gone.'

Sara forced a smile. 'But we're still planning to go ahead with it up until the last minute. Hope is adamant that we not miss out on our honeymoon.'

'You're going to have a wonderful time' Mindy enthused. 'So, does that mean you're cleared to travel too?'

'Yeah, the doctor says there's no reason I can't fly in another ten days so…'

'Are those what I think they are?' Mindy asked as she glanced at the brown paper package sitting on the table. 'Mike is a big cigar smoker and he orders from this place.'

Sara shook her head in dismay; Neal's cigars had finally arrived and he'd been over the moon.

'Neal insisted on getting them to celebrate the birth of his first grandson. Men and their rituals!' she exclaimed. 'I warned him though… not in the house. I will _not_ have the curtains and furniture reeking of cigar smoke.'

'I hear you' Mindy nodded in agreement.

WCWCWC

'Babe, what's the matter? You've hardly touched your dinner. You love my grilled cheese sandwiches' Cameron said with a pout as he took Hope's plate off the table. 'And I even used Jarlsberg.'

Hope sat back, running her hand up and down her belly and frowning. 'I just… the contractions are really bothering me tonight' she complained.

There was nothing like the word 'contraction' to get a father-to-be's attention and Cam let the plate clatter noisily on the counter and turned to face his wife, noticing the tightness of her features.

'You mean like… not like the usual contractions you've been having?'

Hope shook her head and let out a soft moan. 'No… more intense' she moaned.

Cameron got down on his knees, facing his wife, his hand rubbing her belly. 'Can I do anything to help?' he asked, solicitous.

'I think maybe I should lie down for a few minutes' Hope said, struggling to get on her feet.

Cam was instantly there, helping her stand. 'I'll come with you, I can rub your feet' he offered as she rolled her eyes.

'I'm fine. Stop fussing; I just need to — Owww' she groaned, leaning forward in pain.

Cameron could feel his body start to betray him as his hands began to shake. 'Hope, this doesn't feel right. Maybe we should get you checked out, just in case.'

Hope stared back at him, looking pale and anxious. 'Maybe…' she murmured.

WCWCWC

Neal and Peter sat, side by side, in the Burke living room while Elizabeth worked at the dining room table, surrounded by mountains of paper work relating to the upcoming wedding. The Yankees were playing and Peter had flipped on the game and turned down the volume while he and Neal chatted about the fallout from their case at Sterling Bosch and the fact that all the stolen items which had mysteriously disappeared had finally been recuperated. The two men kept one eye on the game while Peter sipped his beer and Neal worked on the coffee El had prepared for him.

Elizabeth got to her feet and made her way to stand in front of Neal, a piece of paper in her hand.

'Here. This is the questionnaire I was telling you about' she said with a tired sigh as she handed Neal the sheet of paper.

'So, what is it exactly I'm supposed to do?'

'All you have to do is answer as truthfully as possible and we're going to quiz Sara at her bachelorette party next Saturday… see how well she knows you and if she can match your answers.'

Neal frowned, reading over the list of questions.

'Are you kidding me?' he blurted out as he came across a particularly naughty question. 'This is… pretty racy stuff.'

'It's supposed to be a little risqué' El replied, taking a seat across from the men. 'Otherwise, it's going to be boring.'

'Yeah but…' Neal said as he kept reading.

'Is Sara going to have to do this too?' he asked, thinking ahead to his bachelor party and the ribbing he might be called on to endure. 'I mean, am I going to have to guess at _her_ answers?'

Peter took a sip of beer, buying some time. 'Never mind about _your_ bachelor party. This is for Sara's party, not yours.'

'Fine…' Neal grumbled as he took the pen from El's outstretched hand.

There were a total of ten questions, some with sexual undercurrents, although most appeared to be focussed on how well he knew his wife - which Neal felt he _definitely_ did.

'Which one of your wife's habits drive you crazy?' he read out loud. 'El, are you trying to break us up before we even get to the altar?'

'Come on, Neal' Peter coaxed. 'There's got to be at least a dozen things you complain about all the time.'

Neal glared at his best friend and looked over at El, feeling defensive. 'Not true!' he bellowed as Peter shook his head in disbelief. They were both notorious for complaining about their wives - when the women weren't within earshot, of course.

'Come on, just pick one habit of hers that drives you nuts.'

Neal thought for a moment; in truth, quite a few things came to mind - not surprisingly, when you considered they'd been cohabitating for twenty-five years. He pondered the question, intent on keeping his answer to something that wouldn't start a cold war between him and his wife - especially on the night before their wedding.

'Well…' he said after a moment. 'She always leaves her shoes right at the front door and I trip over them in the dark. Drives me crazy.'

'There you go' Peter said, pointing to the piece of paper with his bottle of beer. 'Write that down.'

Neal complied, moving on to the next question.

'Seriously? Where is the strangest place you've ever made love?' Neal read with a pointed glare aimed at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth shrugged. 'Come on, Neal. Just tell the truth because Sara's going to have to answer.'

'In front of everybody at the party?' Neal asked, somewhat panicked.

'Since when are you such a prude?' Peter asked, amused by his best friend's reaction. 'It's lovemaking, not murder.'

'Oh, yeah? What about you two? Where is the strangest place _you_ ever had sex?' Neal asked, giving Peter a taste of his own medicine.

Peter glanced over at his wife as they seemed to communicate silently. 'What do you think, honey? Would you say in the barn upstate at my folks' place… or that time in the elevator?' Peter asked with a naughty smirk.

'Now, you're just pulling my leg' Neal complained, increasingly irked, as his eyes returned to the list of questions.

He thought for a moment and a smile appeared on his face as he finally jotted something down - a pleasant memory, no doubt.

'Who is most likely to initiate sex?' Neal read, coughing nervously. 'El, you're killing me here.'

'Awww, come on Neal. Be a good sport, it's all in good fun.'

'For _you_ , maybe' Neal muttered as he jotted something down. He could sense Peter trying to peek at his answer and he pulled the sheet of paper up against his chest to keep him from looking, all the while giving him a dirty look.

'How many pairs of shoes does your wife have?' Neal read, shaking his head. 'Can I count them first?'

'No, I need that back tonight. You're supposed to guess, that's the whole point' El replied.

Neal closed his eyes, visualizing their closet at home, overrun by expensive shoes, definitely one of Sara's weaknesses.

Neal continued down the list. 'Which one of _your_ habits drives your wife crazy? Jeez!' Neal exclaimed. 'Take your pick' he mumbled under his breath.

Elizabeth chuckled. This was going to be so much fun.

Neal thought of the things Sara nagged him about most often; at the top of the list was his habit of dripping water all over the carpet in their bedroom when he came out of the shower… but then again, she was always on his case about him clipping his toenails on the bed. Oh, and then there was the way he hogged the blankets when he turned in his sleep and of course the fact that she always complained when he put the milk carton back in the fridge when there was just a smidgen left - he totally got that one, after all, he did it on purpose just to get her going.

'Can I only give one answer?' Neal asked, perplexed, as Elizabeth laughed.

'Oh, here's an easy one' he said with relief.

'What is it?' Peter asked.

'Who takes longer to get dressed, you or your spouse?' Neal read.

Everybody knew Neal was notorious for making sure each hair was in place and his clothes were perfectly pressed; Sara, although always well put together, could always be counted on to be ready to leave the house within fifteen minutes.

'Pet names…' Neal murmured.

'What?' Peter asked, hanging on to his buddy's every word. It was always fun to watch Neal Caffrey squirm.

'Do I have any pet names for Sara…' Neal said. 'Yeah… lots.'

'You call her Repo. I've heard you call her that lots of times' Elizabeth volunteered in an attempt to help him.

'Yeah… but I also call her 'honey' a lot and sometimes when we're in… well, when we're being intimate…' he said, fearing he might be oversharing. '…I'll call her 'babe' or 'baby'. But she has to be in the right mood or she'll accuse me of being misogynistic.'

Elizabeth chuckled; watching Neal agonize over every single answer was fun to watch.

'This one's impossible' Neal grumbled. 'One _single_ word to describe Sara… that's impossible. She's the most complex woman I've ever met.'

'Then write down 'complex' Peter suggested as Neal frowned.

'That's not very complimentary though, is it? She's so many things, she's witty, sexy, determined, fiery, intense, passionate, brave, devoted, loving… sexy' Neal said, a faraway look in his eyes.

'You said sexy twice' Peter commented.

'Well, she's _very_ sexy' Neal said with a grin.

'Aww, now this is sweet' he commented as he continued to the next question.

'What?'

'Our first kiss' Neal declared as he wrote.

'When _was_ your first kiss, anyway?' Peter asked, curious.

He'd been around the two of them at the time but he wasn't sure just when the couple had stopped fighting their mutual attraction to each other and had finally given in to the inevitable passion that was so obvious to everyone around them. One minute they'd been fighting like cats and dogs with Sara threatening to have Neal locked up and the next thing he knew, they'd been making goo-goo eyes at each other. The first inkling Peter had gotten that they were no longer at war was when he'd walked in one day, first thing in the morning only to find Sara at Neal's place and an empty champagne bottle at the foot of the bed. They'd both been thrown off balance and thoroughly flustered at being found out and Peter had taken full advantage of the situation to tease them mercilessly about their budding relationship.

'It was while we were working the Adler case. Sara and I were doing research late one night at the archives. Actually…' Neal recalled suddenly. '…it was the night of the Stanzler banquet, you remember… when I masqueraded as your husband' he said smugly, turning to look at Elizabeth.

Peter scoffed; even after all this time, he still hadn't forgiven Neal for posing as Peter Burke, FBI agent just so they could get a witness to come forward with incriminating evidence on her boss.

'I snuck back inside the museum and picked up some leftover finger food for Sara' Neal continued, 'and I headed over to give her and Moz a hand at the archives. Mozzie was busy in the other room when I got there and while Sara and I were talking, the power went out…'

'Well?' El said, totally invested in the story. 'Don't stop now!'

Neal smiled at the recollection. 'Next thing I knew, we were right up in each other's face and… we were kissing. It got pretty hot as I recall… until Moz burst in, of course.'

'Did you kiss _her_ or did she kiss _you_?' she asked.

Neal appeared stumped; to be honest, he didn't know who'd made the first move. 'It was one of those things where she moved closer and I moved closer and next thing I knew… Bam!'

'That's a nice story' Elizabeth said as Peter rolled his eyes.

'What about you, Peter? When was the first time you kissed Elizabeth?' Neal asked, eager to turn the tables on his best friend.

'This isn't about me, it's about you' Peter deflected, obviously embarrassed.

Elizabeth scoffed. 'He's just embarrassed because I practically had to throw myself at him to get him to make a move.'

'That's not true' Peter whined. 'I wanted to kiss you since the very first time I laid eyes on you.'

'Well, that might be true, honey but you were awfully slow to make a move' El recalled. 'I think we were on our third date. I was starting to think you didn't like girls at all.'

Neal chuckled at the thought of socially inept Peter, struggling to make the first move.

He couldn't help himself. 'Peter! Peter! You do realize it's a miracle Elizabeth stuck around long enough to find out.'

Peter frowned; this wasn't nearly as much fun when he was the one being taunted.

Neal let out a sigh of relief. 'Nice easy one to finish' he declared as he jotted down one last answer.

He passed the completed questionnaire back to Elizabeth who couldn't help reading what he'd written.

'Really? Yoga pants and a t-shirt? I always took Sara for a frilly nightie kind of girl' she commented as Neal shrugged.

'Just goes to show you, you never know what happens behind closed doors' he reminded her with a wag of his eyebrows.

Peter let out a howl and Neal and El's attention moved to look at the television, just in time to see the Yankees clear the bases with a decisive home run.

'Now, _that's_ what I'm talking about' Peter shouted.

WCWCWC

Hope stood out on the sidewalk in front of their apartment building, waiting for Cameron to bring the car around. She placed her hand on her belly, taking a cleansing breath. She really didn't want to be having the baby on the side of the road — as a matter of fact, she didn't want to be having the baby at all, considering she still had a few weeks to go before her due date. It was much too soon for this to be happening and she wondered if she should call her mom and ask her to meet her at Maimonides, which Cameron had identified months ago as the closest emergency room to their Bay Ridge apartment.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She was supposed to have her baby at Lenox Hill; as a matter of fact, their tour of the maternity ward wasn't scheduled until the following Monday. She took in a deep breath as the pain receded momentarily and her eyes were drawn to the end of the laneway where she expected Cameron to appear any second.

Which he did… except he was on foot, not in the car, and she could see him gesticulating as he ran towards her, talking loudly into his phone.

'Goddamn car won't start' he muttered as he got closer.

'What!?' she shouted, on the verge of tears.

'It's okay sweetie' Cameron said with false bravado. 'I've got a cab coming any second. Here, sit down.'

Hope leaned over, holding her stomach.

'Ooowwww' she screamed.

TBC


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

Cameron Armstrong sat in the waiting room with his feet tucked under his chair, his elbows propped up on his knees and his head firmly in his hands. Hope had been taken into one of the examination room moments after they'd arrived and he still hadn't heard anything. He wondered if he should call his in-laws and he picked up his phone, staring at it vacantly, as if it held the answer to his question. He didn't want to worry them unnecessarily until he knew exactly what was going on; Sara, in particular, didn't need any additional stress.

For whatever reason, the contractions had diminished while they'd been sitting in the back seat of the cab and they'd completely dissipated by the time they'd arrived at the hospital. Whether it was the reassurance of knowing she would soon be in good hands or just a natural lull in the birthing process, Cam didn't know. He was just relieved to see the tension fade from his wife's face, albeit momentarily, as they'd sat holding hands on the way to the nearby hospital.

Upon arrival in the emergency room, the triage nurse hadn't hesitated to admit her and Hope had almost immediately been ushered into an examination room while Cam was left to sit and wait, something he'd been doing for the past twenty minutes - not very patiently at all.

At 36 weeks, Hope was barely under the generally accepted norm for a full term pregnancy and he worried about what that might mean if the baby was born now. Just four weeks shy of full term, the health risks would be minimal but still - little Jakey would qualify as a preemie and there were certain issues related to low-birth babies. Cam ran his hands through his disheveled hair and got to his feet, pacing in the small space, feeling like a caged animal. The only thing worse than the anxiety associated with supporting his wife through childbirth was the worry of not knowing what was happening.

In some ways, Cameron's excitement at the prospect of becoming a father had started on that day, eight years earlier, when he'd first laid eyes on Hope Ellis-Caffrey. She'd been turning seventeen and he, a few years her senior when Neal had offered him a job at the newly opened Raphael Gallery. Cameron had been smitten with the raven-haired beauty the moment he'd laid eyes on her and even back then, he'd dared to imagine a future with the young woman: a future with a white picket fence and a bunch of kids. It had taken a while for Hope to catch up although she'd been attracted to the tall, handsome young man who seemed to know so much more than she did about art and culture. He had that bohemian look, relaxed, sandy coloured curls down to his shoulders - so different looking from her nattily dressed dad whom she'd always admired and looked up to. And yet, in the ways that really mattered, the two men were so alike: warm, caring, gentle souls who wore their hearts on their sleeve and Hope had fallen for Cam — hard.

When Hope had moved away to Pittsburgh to go to school, Cam's heart had been shattered although he'd managed to let her go without as much as an ounce of bitterness. Hope was merely twenty years old and so talented and Cam wanted what was best for her; even in his smitten state, he knew that she needed to get out and discover the world. Despite the distance separating them, he'd dared to hope that her road to discovery would lead her back to him someday. He'd been heartbroken when their long distance relationship had faltered for a time and Hope had begun dating other men and for a while, he'd feared he'd lost her for good. Working at the gallery kept him connected to her somehow and through Neal and Peter, he would hear of Hope's adventures in Pittsburgh as well as her successes, of which he remained proud.

But life had been kind, and just as he'd prayed, Hope had come back to him and they had committed to a future together just as fate had dealt them the cruelest of blows, landing Hope in hospital for months as she recuperated from a horrible accident. At a time when they should have been focussed with unbridled optimism on their future together, they had been forced to face hardship and unfathomable challenges the likes of which some couples never had to face in an entire lifetime together. And yet, seeing her mangled and broken had only served to further strengthen Cam's unfailing commitment to Hope. Where some men might have walked away from such an uncertain future, he had grown more certain of his love for her and watching her recover had made him realize that, no matter what happened in the future, he would always want to be by her side. He steadfastly stood by her throughout her long road back from the dark side and any hesitation Neal and Sara might have had about a future for their daughter with this young man had vanished as they'd witnessed his undying love and devotion.

Now, the planets had aligned to make all his dreams come true and he and Hope had been blessed with another new beginning: a beautiful baby boy to love and nurture and he couldn't wait to hold his infant son in his arms and begin that wonderful new journey alongside the woman he loved.

'Mr. Armstrong' came a disembodied voice over his shoulder.

'Here' he called out.

'You can see your wife now.'

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The women were just wrapping up their gabfest when the front door opened and the sound of Neal's voice was heard echoing through the house.

'You're home! Already!' Sara called out from her seat in the kitchen.

'What do you mean 'already'? It's past eleven o'clock' Neal replied, hands up in the air in a 'what the heck' sign.

'Hey Mindy, how are you?' he added, noticing the pretty blonde woman sitting across from his wife.

'Hi Neal' she replied, getting to her feet. 'Is it really eleven?'

Neal's eyes grew in response and he shrugged.

'Sounds like you two had a lot to talk about' he said, making his way to stand behind his wife and kissing the top of her head.

'Mmmm. That looks delicious' he commented as he glanced down at the cake still sitting in the middle of the table, seemingly calling his name.

He unabashedly took the fork from the empty plate still sitting in front of Sara and dove directly into the cake, taking a big, nasty bite and Sara watched with interest as his face lit up in appreciation.

'I've really got to get going. Mike's going to think I got lost' Mindy said, hugging Sara. 'Good luck you two and I'll see you next week at the wedding.'

Neal walked her to the front door and waved her off. 'Say hi to Mike… oh, and tell him I got some of those cigars he loves for when the baby's born.'

'Will do' Mindy said as she walked away.

Neal meandered back into the kitchen, finding Sara at the sink rinsing dishes.

'So, how was your night?' he asked.

'Good, you?' she replied as she continued working at the sink.

'Yankees won' he answered as if that was a response to her question.

'So, is El going crazy with all the preparations?' Sara asked with a grin.

'She was working away at it. Oh, she showed me the layout for the backyard' Neal said as he produced a large sheet of paper and opened it up, spreading it out on the kitchen table.

He glanced nervously in Sara's direction and she frowned, unsure as to why he was looking so circumspect. She stopped what she was doing and walked over, glancing down at the elaborate schematic.

'She wants to know if we want fairy lights over here or just in this section here' Neal said, pointing to the far corner of the yard. 'She's got a large gazebo set up over here and she's having something laid down in this section that will be the dance floor.'

Sara shook her head in amazement at how precise and detailed the plan was.

'And this is the trellis over here?' she asked.

'Yup and even though most of the food is going to be inside, she's suggesting a popcorn and candy bar out under the gazebo for late in the evening… oh, and a candy floss station for the kids in this corner of the yard. What do you think?'

'It's going to be gorgeous' Sara commented as Neal smiled, pleased as punch. 'Is this really our backyard?'

'You know Elizabeth; she never does things half way' he replied.

'I know but it's so beautiful… and elaborate' she commented.

'She's setting up a station here with blankets rolled up in a couple of wicker baskets if people get chilly during the evening.'

'Why are there all these tables here?' Sara asked.

Neal seemed evasive for a minute and she picked up on his hesitation. 'No, she's not…'

He piped up, obviously ready to face her misgivings head on. 'Honey, I know we said we wouldn't do a full meal but El says it's not much more complicated than the appetizers we had planned and besides, people will want to linger for a while, the least we can do is feed them.'

'Neal…' she whined.

'Sara, look at me. We always said we wanted a big wedding and we didn't get it the first time around. Let's just go with the flow, El says she'll take care of everything.'

'So… what does it mean exactly?'

'El suggests we have some appetizers set up over here, some stuff for the kids and that at six o'clock we set up a buffet inside… nothing too elaborate' he hastened to add. 'People can circulate and there's enough seating for everyone under the gazebo. She's got a special section over here for the kids and a special menu —'

'Oh, my God!' Sara exclaimed. 'This is… Neal, it's just so much…'

'So much what? Trouble? El's doing it all. And money's not an issue. Come on, honey, it'll be fun' he pleaded.

'So, that means we have to go over the menu all over again?' she asked.

Neal shrugged. 'It's no big deal' he attempted with his best Caffrey smile.

Sara could see that Neal was really keen on the idea and she didn't want to be responsible for bursting his bubble. 'You _really_ want to do this?' she asked.

'Yeah… I kinda do' he admitted with a shy shrug.

'All right' she said, smiling brightly. 'We'll do it. What about the cake?'

'She got us an appointment at Magnolia's on Tuesday' he replied as she nodded.

Sara was still looking apprehensive and Neal reached out, bringing his hands to rest on her hips, thereby forcing her to look at him.

'If you really don't want to do this…' he began as her gaze softened.

'No, no. It's fine. It's going to be amazing' she admitted, to his relief.

'Nothing but the best for you' he said as if he could take any credit for the planning.

'Oh yeah?' she cooed, lifting her face expectantly towards him and waiting for him to lean in with a kiss - which he did, not surprisingly.

'Kids home?' he asked.

'Liam's up in his room but Caitlin's not home yet' she replied. 'Can you put Raffie out?'

He disengaged his hands from her hips and whistled to call the dog while Sara finished tidying up and soon enough, they were ready to retire for the night.

'So, did she let anything slip about my party next weekend?' Sara asked as they headed for the stairs.

Neal stared back, seemingly offended. 'Like I'd tell you if she did!'

'I'll tell you what' Sara cooed. 'I'll tell _you_ if I hear anything about _your_ party if you tell _me_ if you hear anything about mine.'

Neal couldn't resist the quid pro quo; the truth was, he hated surprises.

'Deal' he said, giving her a playful tap on the rear and pointing her in the direction of the stairs.

WCWCWC

'What was that?' Caitlin asked, alarmed, as she disentangled from Will's arms and sat up, ears perked up.

'It's nothing, just some noise outside' replied Will, pulling her back into his arms and returning his mouth to where it had been - in the hollow of her neck.

'Are you sure it's not your mom?' she insisted, pushing him away.

He looked back at her, eyes half-lidded with lust; a freight train roaring through the middle of the room probably wouldn't have been enough to deter him from his mission. Both he and Caitlin were still fully clothed - although that wasn't saying much. His hands were roaming freely under her top, he'd managed to unclasp her bra and his shirt was unbuttoned as her hands explored his chest. She'd just moved on to grabbing his gorgeous butt when she'd heard the subtle yet unmistakeable rustling sound.

'Will, I'm serious' she said, more insistently this time. 'Listen!'

He exhaled and sat up to listen - it was obvious he wasn't getting to the next base if he didn't placate her first.

'It's the A/C' he concluded as he brought his hands back to her waist and tugged at her. 'It does that som…'

He didn't bother to finish his sentence, his mouth suddenly otherwise occupied.

'You sure it's not your mom?' Caitlin murmured, trying desperately to keep his attention focussed for a moment longer.

'I told you, she won't be back for a couple of hours' he mumbled, his mouth moving down from her neck to settle between her breasts as he pushed her bra out of the way.

Caitlin let out a moan and she could feel him smiling against her, his teeth nibbling playfully.

'You sure about this' he asked, forcing himself to look up at her with a hopeful look in his eyes.

He needed to make sure he wasn't reading the signals wrong; after all they'd been building up to this inevitable moment for a few weeks now. The sweet, chaste kisses had evolved into much steamier clinches and hand wandering and now that they were finally alone, there was nothing to keep them from further exploring each other's body.

' _So_ sure' she whispered, pulling the shirt off his shoulders and moving to his belt buckle.

He smiled, a sweet, innocent yet devilish smile - if that was possible. That was the unique mystique of Will Allenby; he radiated that sweet guy next door vibe and yet his eyes promised so much more.

'Maybe we should go up to my room' he suggested, his hands now moving to tug at her jeans.

'I'm good here…' she murmured, now fully invested in the moment.

The couch was comfy, pillows propped under her head and Will's insistent body pressed up against her; she didn't want to change a thing.

'You're so beautiful' Will said unexpectedly and Caitlin could feel her heart swell; in that moment, she felt desirable like she never had before.

She'd given herself before but she'd never felt this cherished. The few guys she'd had the misfortune of being with were lost souls just like her, looking for a quick fix to soothe their wounded psyches and she'd taken from them just as they had from her. Once the moment passed, there had been no need or desire to prolong the connection, leaving her feeling empty and cheap.

In contrast, Will's eyes remained on her face, gazing at her like there had never been anyone before her nor would there ever be anyone else again. The feeling was overwhelmingly amazing and Caitlin could feel her heart pounding in her chest at the sight of him.

'You're crazy' she replied playfully.

'Shut up, Blondie' Will moaned. 'You talk too much.'

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Cameron opened the door to the small treatment room to find Hope sitting up on the makeshift bed, hand on her increasingly large baby bump, rubbing absentmindedly.

'What's going on?' he asked breathlessly. 'Are you all right?'

Hope looked like she was on the verge of tears and he rushed over to sit by her side, bringing his arm up around her shoulder.

'What? What is it?' he repeated, his gaze glued to her eyes.

'Nothing' she cried with a sniffle. 'The baby's not coming yet.'

'He's not?' Cam said; he really had to stop repeating himself.

Hope buried her face into his shirt and let out a loud snort. 'Noooo' she moaned. 'The doctor said I'm not even dilated.'

Cameron let out a sigh of relief. 'Well, that's _good_ news, isn't it?' he asked, now thoroughly confused.

'I don't know' Hope moaned. 'I suppose…'

He pulled away from her, looking at her bright blue eyes, brimming with as yet unshed tears.

'Baby, what is it? Why are you so upset?'

'I don't know' she cried. 'It's just… I feel stupid and I'm sort of disappointed. I thought this was it.'

'Well, what did the doctor say?' Cam asked, growing increasingly upset at seeing _her_ so upset.

'Just that it was more of the same. These are just really intense Braxton Hicks contractions and he said it happens sometimes and that people mistake them for the real thing' she blubbered, between shaky breaths.

Cameron exhaled and chuckled softly at her lengthy explanation, frankly relieved to be getting a reprieve. He was terrified of seeing his wife in labour and anything that put that off for a little while longer was fine with him.

'Honey, that's _good_ news. It means little Jakey's just not ready to come out yet, that's all' he attempted. 'Besides, we still have tons of stuff to do to get ready, like… baby proofing the apartment…'

She chuckled; Cameron could always make her laugh and she loved him for trying.

'Cam, I'm pretty sure we don't need to be thinking about baby proofing the apartment until he's crawling' she replied as he nodded in agreement.

'Maybe not but… I'm not ready to share you with the baby yet. Let's enjoy these last few weeks with just the two of us. After he's born, it'll never _be_ just the two of us again.'

Hope nodded; of course, he was right. She just felt silly for mistaking these contractions for the real thing although the doctor had reassured her it was all too common for first time moms to overreact.

'The doctor says that if the contractions dissipate when I change positions, it's probably not active labour' she explained.

'Good to know' Cam said, getting to his feet and taking her hands in his.

'Come on, don't be sad. He'll be here soon enough.'

Hope slid off the table with some difficulty and stood before him, her husband towering over her. His arms moved to enfold her and she settled in, her big belly pressed up against his body, her head nestled against his chest. When he held her like this, she wasn't afraid of anything and knowing he would be there alongside her every step of the way made everything easier to face.

'So, are you cleared to come home?' he asked, feeling her nod against his chest.

She lifted her head and looked up and he could see that mischievous look in her eyes — those expressive eyes he loved so much.

'Cam?' she began.

'Yeah…'

'I'm kind of hungry. Do we have any Jarlsberg left?' she asked.

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Caitlin and Will were curled up on the couch, watching a late night movie when Beth Allenby finally came home. Caitlin could spot the signs of inebriation from miles away and even though the woman stood rather daintily on her four inch heels, it was obvious she'd been drinking… heavily.

'Hi Caitlin' she called out as she appeared in the Allenby living room. 'I didn't realize you were coming over tonight.'

'I told you we were going to be watching a movie, Mom' Will replied with a frustrated sigh.

'Oh, maybe you did, honey' the brunette said with just the slightest slurring evident in her speech. 'Well, I'm going up to bed. Goodnight you two.'

'Goodnight Mrs. Allenby' Caitlin called out as the woman teetered away.

She could tell Will was feeling uneasy although there was really nothing to be embarrassed about and she cringed at the thought of him ever meeting Jackie Somersby.

'Sorry…' he mumbled ineffectually.

'Why? You have nothing to be sorry about' Caitlin replied as she let herself melt into his side.

He glanced down at her; he was still feeling the glow from their first tumble in the sheets and truth was, she was looking pretty relaxed too.

'You good… about earlier?' he asked, running his hand down her back longingly.

'Yeah…' she said with a wide grin. 'You?'

'Oh, yeah' he smiled back.

He kissed her forehead and she could sense he wanted to say something more. She waited patiently, feeling his arms tighten around her.

'It's… I want you to know I don't take it lightly' he began, hesitantly. 'I mean… you mean a lot to me Caitlin and I don't want you to think — '

'I don't think anything' Caitlin said, putting him out of his misery. 'You mean a lot to me too, Will and I hope this is just the beginning for us.'

'It is' he said hurriedly. 'If… if you want it to be, of course.'

Caitlin grinned and brought her lips to his, leaning in to kiss him softly.

'Are you ready for me to drive you home?' he asked.

She settled herself back into his loving embrace, feeling his arms surrounding her in comforting warmth; she was in no hurry to move just yet.

'In a minute' she replied.

TBC


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

Neal came downstairs early Saturday morning, practically tripping over the large box that sat at the bottom of the stairs. It hadn't been there when they went to bed; the last time he'd seen it was the day before, up in the baby's room but now it was all wrapped up in brightly coloured wrapping paper with a big blue bow on top.

'How did _this_ get here?' he asked, frowning at his wife who'd suddenly appeared before him.

'Before you blow a gasket, I did _not_ move it myself' Sara explained. 'Liam brought it down for me.'

'Sorry…' Neal mumbled, giving her a peck on the cheek. 'Good morning.'

'Good morning' she replied, leading him to the kitchen. 'Coffee?'

'Yes, please' Neal said, making a detour to pop an oversized bagel in the toaster.

'I thought you weren't going to hover any more' she scolded, placing a cup of coffee in front of him.

'I said I was sorry' he replied meekly.

'Trust me, Neal. I'm not going to do anything dangerous one week before our wedding —'

He frowned at the limited scope of her comment. 'Or ever…' she added.

'Good!' he exclaimed, rising to get his bagel from the toaster. He returned to the table and began slathering it with the low fat cream cheese that sat on the table — in the industrial-sized bucket he always insisted on picking up at Costco's.

'Neal, the whole point of buying the low-fat cream cheese is to cut fat from your diet - slathering it on your bagel lavishly kind of defeats the purpose' she nagged.

'You have your… vices, I have mine' he replied with a shrug.

'Not the cream cheese debate… again' Liam said, appearing from upstairs. 'You guys are turning into a cliché. I really wish you'd find new things to argue about; you were bickering about cream cheese the last time I was home.'

Neal and Sara both glared at their son; weren't they just commenting yesterday about how great it was to have him home?

'So, what have you got on the schedule today, buddy?' Neal asked his son, changing the subject.

'Cody's picking me up in an hour. He's taking me shopping for a suit for next weekend' Liam declared.

'Finally!' Neal said. 'I was starting to think you were going to show up wearing khakis and a t-shirt.'

'Can I?' Liam asked, his eyes animated.

'No! You cannot!' Neal replied, adamant. How a son of his had no interest in the fine art of being a well-dressed man was beyond his comprehension. 'Like I said, try Enzo's or Bloomingdales, I have an account at both stores.'

'Dad, I can pay for my own suit for your wedding…' Liam complained.

'I told you, I was paying for that. Just… put it on my account. Okay?' Neal insisted.

'Fine' Liam said meekly. 'Thanks.'

'No, thank _you_ … for agreeing to be my best man' Neal said as he brought his hand to rest on his son's shoulder.

Liam smiled in response; he loved seeing his dad so happy.

'So… Mom, do you want me to put Hope's present in the car for you?' he asked, pointing towards the staircase.

'Sure honey, that'd be great' she replied over her shoulder.

'So, what time is the baby shower?' Neal asked, spreading a smidgen more cream cheese on his bagel and biting into it with a sensual hum.

'Two o'clock.'

'Are you sure you want to drive? I can drive you over, you know' he offered, his mouth full.

'Dr. Hines said it was fine for me to drive' Sara reminded him.

'I know… I was there, remember. But it doesn't mean you _have to…_ you know, when your handsome, helpful husband offers to do it for you.'

'I know you, Neal Caffrey… you just want to get a first-hand peek at all the loot Hope is going to get. Besides I'm giving Donna a ride over so I won't be alone.'

The phone rang in the quiet house and Sara reached out to answer it as Neal continued feasting on the humongous poppyseed bagel, smothered in cream cheese.

'Hi honey, how'd you sleep?' she said into the phone as Neal studied her, trying to get the gist of the conversation.

'Oh, I'm sorry…' he heard Sara say. 'Oh, no! You're kidding.'

'What? What?' Neal asked as he dropped the bagel on his plate and got on his feet.

Sara put a hand up to signal him to be patient and she carried on. 'Oh, honey I'm sorry…'

'What's going on?' Neal asked, more insistently this time.

She glared at him and turned her back to him in order to continue her conversation without distraction; he was the nosiest, most unrelenting man she'd ever met.

'Sure, I can do that' Sara was saying as Neal returned to his spot at the table. He stared at her as she spoke, his mouth hanging open. Short of grabbing the phone from her hand, he was just going to have to be patient — after all, he did have _some_ pride.

'Better make it 1:15' Sara said into the phone. 'You never know about traffic on a Saturday. Okay honey, get some rest and I'll see you later.'

She hung up and turned to look at her husband who was trying to keep from jumping out of his skin. He raised his arms in expectation.

'Well? What happened?'

'Hope ended up in the emergency room last night —' she managed to say before Neal was back up on his feet.

'What?' he shouted.

'What's going on?' asked Liam who had returned from his errand to the car.

'Hope was having contractions and they got so intense Cam decided to take her to the hospital and have her checked out.'

'Is she still at the hospital?' Liam asked with concern.

'No, no, they sent her home. It happens a lot, sweetie. It happened to me, didn't it, honey?'

Neal nodded. 'Hope was almost two weeks late by the time she was finally born but one night, towards the end, we ended up in the emergency room' Neal recalled. 'Just to add insult to injury, they sent us back home.'

'What about for me?' Liam asked, taking a seat at the table to join his parents. 'Did you have a false alarm for me?'

'No, you were quick!' Neal recalled with a wistful smile. 'Your mom had had contractions all day… it was a Saturday… and we went to bed around ten o'clock. She woke up about an hour later with this huge contraction and her water broke right there in bed. We headed out and you were born at 2:18 in the morning, just a couple of hours after we got to the hospital. You were in some hurry to get here for some reason.'

Sara smiled at the recollection and the exactitude with which Neal recalled the events of that night.

'Well, there's another complication' Sara continued. 'Hope says their car broke down again so she needs me to pick her up to take her to the baby shower.'

'Again!' Neal exclaimed with a look of alarm.

The old Chevy Cam had been driving since he'd first come into their lives was on its last legs. Neal hated to think of his daughter having to deal with an unreliable vehicle at the best of times but now, with the baby due any time and worse yet, once they _had_ the baby… he hated to think of her and Cam struggling to get around safely. The young couple managed their money wisely but with the school debts Cam was trying to pay off, they didn't have a lot of expendable cash for extras.

'Honey, why don't we just do it?' Neal said to his wife. 'We've been thinking about it for a long time.'

Sara looked over at Liam, who had a puzzled look on his face. She and Neal had been discussing the prospect of buying the newlyweds a new, dependable car but they'd hesitated, intent on being fair and equitable to both their kids.

'What are you guys talking about?' Liam asked.

'Your dad and I have been thinking about getting Hope and Cam a new car to got with that car seat' she said pointing towards the front door. 'But… we didn't want to be unfair to you.'

Liam scoffed. 'Are you kidding? Mom, you guys have done so much for me. Don't give it a second thought. Look, I don't have the slightest interest in owning a car. Public transit and the Codymobile work great for me.'

Sara glanced over at Neal. 'I suppose this _would_ be the perfect time… with the baby coming.'

Neal stood and picked up the phone; he was decisive, if nothing else. Or was that impulsive?

'Hey, sweet pea' he said into the phone. 'Mom told me what happened last night. How are you feeling this morning?'

Sara and Liam exchanged looks; always the doting dad — he would never change.

'That happened to me and Mom, you know, I had to rush her to the emergency —' he said, pausing for a moment as Hope ostensibly interrupted his discourse. 'Yeah… I guess you're right, I guess I _have_ told that story a few dozen times.'

Liam chuckled as he listened. 'Listen, can I talk to Cam for a sec?' Neal asked.

He looked over at his wife and son and gave them a wink and a smile. 'Cam, hey buddy. Listen, I was wondering… do you have any plans this afternoon?'

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The car dealership was busy with prospective buyers on this Saturday afternoon; many of which were just window shopping in anticipation of the moment they could finally afford to make that all important purchase. Neal and Cam, on the other hand, were on a mission and they were determined to finalize their new car purchase on the spot.

'Hi Nicole' Neal schmoozed as he approached the receptionist.

Cam glanced over at his father-in-law with a look of amazement; he actually _remembered_ the receptionist's name?

'Neal!' the young woman declared with a smile. 'How are you? It's been a while. Are you here to have your car serviced?'

'No, no… this is my son-in-law, Cameron. He's looking to buy a new car for his wife and their new baby' Neal explained.

'Are you kidding? You're a grandfather? Since when?' she said with surprise.

'Any day now' Neal replied with a killer smile. 'So, tell me, how's Justin enjoying his art classes?'

'Oh, he loves them. It's been a godsend, I've seen a real change in his behaviour. I can't thank you enough for subsidizing his school fees.'

Neal smiled in satisfaction; the young mother had been unable to afford art classes for her delinquent son and Neal had suggested he attend classes at the June Ellington School of Art. After all, that was exactly the reason why he'd set up the school, to help all those kids who had talent but nowhere to go.

'That's great!' he enthused while Cameron observed the interaction with interest.

'Listen, is Bob in today?' Neal asked, referring to the salesman who'd sold them their last two vehicles. 'My son-in-law here is looking for a deal and Bob's my go-to guy.'

'Sure, let me get him for you' she replied. 'Have a seat.'

Neal took Cam's arm and the two men settled in the nearby waiting room. Cam had never bought a new car before and the prospect was awfully intimidating — even though he was not the one footing the bill. The Chevy he'd bought during his second year of university had cost him all of $3,500 - every penny he'd had at the time and it had been a rickety old jalopy even back then. Thinking of carrying their most precious cargo in an old beat up car was not what he wanted for his son and he was eternally grateful for the leg up from his in-laws.

'Mr. Caffrey, are you sure you want to do this? It's awfully generous of you' Cam asked.

' _Very_ sure. Sara and I have been talking about getting you guys a new car for a long time' Neal declared without hesitation. 'If _you're_ all right with it, of course…'

The last thing Neal wanted to do was emasculate Cameron or embarrass him in any way; his son-in-law was a hard worker and a good provider but he knew it would be hard for him to scrounge up the money for a new car on his modest salary — even though Neal paid him more than the going rate to manage the Raphael. With Hope off work for the coming months, things would get even tighter and Neal and Sara were more than happy to help them out. After all, they knew what it was like to have lean times. Early in their own marriage, they'd lived on one salary and despite Sara's more than adequate income, they'd had to be careful. The cost of living in NYC was high and Neal had divested himself of pretty well all his ill-gotten possessions, intent on starting fresh. They'd scrimped and saved to buy the Raphael and to send Hope to university and if it hadn't been for the generous inheritance he'd received from June's estate, they might still be counting pennies in order to give their kids the life they wanted for them.

'Hope and I really appreciate everything you've done for us' Cam replied with a wide grin. 'It just seems like an awfully lavish gift.'

'Just think of it as a gift for the baby' Neal said as he gave Cam a friendly pat on the back.

'You work hard Cam and I know you're doing your best to make ends meet. Besides, nobody needs to know about our little arrangement but you and me.'

The two of them looked up as a man approached, his hand extended in greeting.

'Neal!' the man said with a broad smile. 'What brings you in today?'

WCWCWC

Walking into Enzo's on Madison Avenue was a bit of a culture shock for young Liam Caffrey who got most of his clothes at Walmart and L.L. Bean. Upon arrival, he and Cody were greeted by a very flamboyant older man who introduced himself simply as 'Todd'. It seemed Neal had called ahead to say his son would be dropping by and Todd had been expecting them.

'I just talked to your handsome dad on the phone' the man enthused as he looked Liam up and down in admiration. 'And I promised him I'd take good care of you.'

Liam smiled, obviously ill at ease.

'Now, I understand you're looking for something special for your parents' wedding' the man said, arms gesticulating dramatically. 'And I'm told you've been a very naughty boy and didn't plan ahead.'

Liam continued smiling, his face seemingly frozen as the older man shamelessly flirted with him.

'I would have loved to measure you for a custom suit' he said, leering at Liam. 'But that's okay. We have quite the selection of prêt-à-porter suits we can look at and I can see I'm not going to have any trouble fitting you into something gorgeous.'

He squeezed Liam's arm and his eyes grew in appreciation as he felt the hard muscles underneath his shirt.

'Is this your… brother?' he asked pointedly. Obviously, the older man wasn't immune to good looking dudes - straight or gay.

'No' Liam responded with confidence. 'This is my boyfriend, Cody Miller.'

'Boyfriend?' Todd repeated with a smirk. The good news was that Master Caffrey played for his team, the bad news… well, that was obvious.

'Well, boys. I have a lot to show you. Let's get started over here' the man said, leading them to a lounge area and inviting them to sit.

'Why don't you have something to drink and I'll go grab a few things for you to look at' he suggested with a knowing wink.

The little man waltzed away with a spring in his step and Liam rolled his eyes as Cody made his way to check the refreshments: expensive coffees, at least a dozen flavours of tea and some water with lemon.

'You want anything?' Cody asked as he poured himself a glass of water.

'Yeah, I want to get the hell out of here' Liam commented. 'Can't I just wear dress pants and a shirt?'

'Come on, babe. You know how big your dad is on wearing just the right outfit for every occasion. If he suggested this place, it's because he knows what they have to offer.'

Liam let out a frustrated sigh. 'I hope that guy isn't going to undress me with his eyes all through the appointment' he murmured under his breath.

'Aww, come on. Give him a thrill and let him go to town' Cody replied with a giggle. 'He obviously thinks you're a hunk.'

'Thinks?' Liam replied, pretending to be hurt.

'Knows. I mean… he _knows_ ' Cody corrected as he came closer and patted Liam on the behind, whispering in his ear. 'And you're all mine.'

Liam chuckled and seemed to relax. He was much more comfortable on the basketball court or wearing jeans and a t-shirt while sharing a beer with his buddies. This setting was foreign to him and he had no interest in becoming a well-dressed stud — although he _was_ prepared to suffer a little if it made his dad happy. He made his way to a nearby display of short sleeved t-shirts in a variety of colours and began to poke around, checking sizes.

'Are you kidding me!' he exclaimed as he noticed the price tag. 'I can get the exact same thing at Old Navy for 8.99.'

Cody came up behind him and glanced at the label. 'That's much better quality than what you can get at Old Navy' he remarked.

'Whatever… who would pay 69.99 for a freakin' t-shirt?' Liam grumbled just as the funny little man returned, arms laden with suits.

Liam plastered a phoney smile back on his face and turned to look at him.

'Now, let's get a few measures from you' he said with a gleam in his eye.

WCWCWC

Olivia Mason had gone to a lot of trouble to prepare a festive baby shower for her best friend and her tiny apartment in Manhattan had been decorated to the hilt for the occasion with balloons and plenty of baby paraphernalia. She'd invited a half dozen or so of hers and Hope's friends as well as Sara, Caitlin, Elizabeth Burke and her own mom. Sara had wanted to hold a similar event with their extended family but Hope had convinced her to wait until after the baby was born so she could see what she might need, considering she was already overrun with gifts of all kinds for the little guy.

Food abounded in the form of specialty appetizers perfect for a baby shower: devilled eggs in the shape of baby carriages, blue teddy bear cookies and pigs in a blanket made to look like newborns. Hope's friends had gone to a lot of trouble to make the occasion festive and the mother-to-be sat back in a beautifully decorated rocker in order to enjoy the afternoon - not that she could move much. She was getting bigger by the minute and once she'd settled in the big chair, she realized she wasn't getting up anytime soon - at least, not without considerable help.

After her scare the night before, she'd barely slept and she was exhausted but she soldiered on, gushing appropriately as every gift was opened, oohing and aahing appropriately as each toy, each piece of clothing was revealed.

Hope watched as everyone gathered around, chatting excitedly at the prospect of this new little baby coming into the world and she smiled, basking in the moment.

WCWCWC

By the time the baby shower wrapped up, Hope and Cam were the proud owners of a brand spanking new four door sedan - persian blue, Hope's favourite colour. It would be ready for pick-up in forty-eight hours and the young couple was thrilled that they would eventually be bringing their baby home from the hospital nestled in his new car seat in the back of a brand new vehicle.

Liam had come home from his shopping spree, sheepishly clutching the itemized account of his purchases and apologetically handing it to his dad. Neal had scoffed at the cost, pleased that his son would be looking like a million bucks as he stood beside him at the altar. Nothing pleased Neal Caffrey more than seeing his wife and kids happy, and nothing ever would.

'Seven days and counting' Neal declared with a satisfied grin as he and Sara settled into bed that night. 'You know you're running out of time if you plan on escaping my clutches.'

Sara relaxed as she slipped in beside him. He had that hot, smouldering look in his eyes - the genuine, heartfelt expression he didn't control and which, despite his lack of awareness, had a tantalizing effect on his wife. Neal Caffrey had always been a self-assured man: he had confidence in his broad and diverse skill set, confidence in his ability to charm and captivate anyone who was within twenty feet of him, confidence in the all-too-predictable swooning he could elicit from the opposite sex. But that was something he could control, something he'd fine-tuned over many years of practice. He could turn it on at the drop of a hat - if the situation warranted - and he'd used his unique gift all of his life in order to get what he wanted.

But then, there was that look he got, the one he _still_ didn't realize was a turn on for his wife: an expression that lit up his face when he wasn't even trying. It was a quiet, understated look, usually on the heels of having done something particularly thoughtful for someone he cared about and expecting absolutely nothing in return. Despite its innocence, it was a sexy look and it was usually accompanied by a sincere, goofy grin that lingered on his lips. Unlike his well-practiced charm, he couldn't control this look, it just _happened_ and it had always been a real turn on for Sara Ellis.

'You're pretty proud of yourself, huh?' she asked, her hand lingering across his chest.

'What?' he asked, genuinely unaware of what she was talking about.

'Liam's new suit and our present… for Hope and Cam.'

The twinkle in his eyes intensified. 'Did you see Hope's face when Cam showed her the brochure?'

'Yeah honey, I was right there' she replied with an indulgent grin.

'And Liam's going to look amazing in that dark blue suit he picked' he mused, growing quiet. 'I'm so glad we could do this for the kids.'

'You did good, Caffrey' she murmured, her hand caressing his chest.

' _We_ did good' Neal corrected, still oblivious to the unexpected effect his earnest demeanour was having on his wife.

Sara brought her lips to his chest and began kissing him, nibbling at one of Neal's nipples as he giggled innocently. 'What's gotten into you, anyway?' he asked, still clueless.

'Nothing…' Sara whispered. 'I'm just feeling a little… frisky.'

'Frisky?' Neal repeated. 'What is this? The fifties?'

'Shut up, Caffrey. Can't you tell when a woman is coming on to you?'

Neal pulled back so he could get a good look at his wife's darkening eyes. 'I thought we said we were going to wait until our wedding night… give you plenty of time to heal.'

'What if I don't _want_ to wait?' Sara teased, her hand moving south to the edge of her husband's sleep pants.

'Hey, hey, honey, wait' he admonished in a rare show of discipline. 'It's only been ten days and we really should let those leads take root before you do anything… strenuous.'

'I wasn't planning on hanging from the chandelier' she cooed as she let her hands linger all the way down to the front of sleep pants, giving a gentle squeeze.

Neal reached down and gently removed her hand, intent on sticking to the agreed upon plan.

'Better safe than sorry, babe' he murmured earnestly. 'Besides, just think about it… our wedding night, a new beginning.'

Sara sighed, flustered at her husband's unusual resolve. 'I suppose…' she relented.

'That's a good girl' he said as she frowned. Next thing, he'd been patting her on the head and giving her a doggie treat.

'Good girl?' she repeated, clearly insulted.

She turned onto her side, facing him and brought her thigh to gently rest between his two legs, rubbing up against him as he let out a surprised moan.

'Don't you _ever_ call me a good girl again' she admonished.

'Yes ma'am' he replied with a grin.

TBC


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

The activity level at Sterling Bosch had grown to a frenzied pace following the repossession of the half-dozen highly valuable items recovered after the Hastings debacle. There was much to do, including the safe transport of the items from various locations around the world, their authentication, contacting the relieved owners of said items and making arrangements to have the treasures returned to their rightful homes. Sara and her team had been working non-stop to keep up and it hadn't helped that Sara had been away for a week and would be leaving again in eight days for her long-awaited trip to Europe. Luckily, she had a dream team, including Lydia Jordan who would be acting as team leader in Sara's absence.

Since her surgery, Sara had noticed she had renewed energy, more stamina than ever before despite the annoying scar and the ever present protrusion resting against her breastbone. She tried to ignore it as best she could but lying in bed at night or in quiet moments, she couldn't help but let her fingers linger on the annoying bump that was now a permanent fixture inside the fifty-six year old body that had somehow betrayed her.

On Tuesday morning, Sara was working feverishly, bouncing from meeting to meeting and phone call to phone call when there was a knock on her office door and her friend and coworker, Lydia Jordan, popped her head in the doorway.

'Sorry I'm late' Lydia mumbled, looking not quite as spry as she usually did.

Sara glanced down at the time; truth was she'd been so wrapped up in what she'd been doing, she hadn't even noticed Lydia was ten minutes late for their scheduled meeting.

'Don't worry about it' Sara said, eyes still glued on her computer. 'I was so involved in writing to Mrs. Matthews —'

She stopped suddenly at the sight of Lydia, standing there, doing an unlikely imitation of the Incredible Hulk and she rushed over to stand by her friend, taking her arm and guiding her to a nearby chair.

'What's wrong? You look terrible!'

'Thank you… so much' Lydia replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. 'I just spent the last ten minutes getting up close and personal with the toilet bowl in the executive washroom.'

'I'm sorry' Sara said with empathy - although it had been a long time since she'd suffered morning sickness, the memory was all too clear. Unrelenting morning sickness and chemotherapy… now, those were memories to last a lifetime.

'Here' Sara said, handing her a glass of water.

Lydia looked up, eyes droopy, pushing her friend's hand away. 'Noooo' she murmured.

Sara perched herself on the edge of her desk, intent on giving her top investigator time to recuperate.

'I'm fine' Lydia insisted, taking a shaky breath. 'You'd think I'd be used to this by now; after all, this _is_ my third time around the block.'

'Well, it's no fun. I had morning sickness well into my fourth month with Hope… and I _still_ remember it twenty-five years later' Sara replied. 'Would you prefer if we reschedule our meeting to later?'

'No, no. I'm fine. So, how did it go with Mrs. Matthews?' Lydia asked.

'Great! She's ecstatic. The brooch is arriving today' Sara replied. 'Do you have someone lined up to authenticate?'

'Yeah, it's all set up. What about you? How did your meeting with Mr. Bosch go this morning?'

Sara got a perplexed look on her face as she prepared to respond. 'It was almost as if I was talking to a stranger. He's… he's really mellowed. Iris Hastings isn't expected to live beyond the next week or so and he's been visiting her in hospital every day since this all happened.'

'Really?' Lydia said, transfixed.

Although their boss was known for being conscientious and a tireless worker, everybody knew he was a maverick, unafraid to step on anybody's toes in order to get what he wanted. The image of a big, cuddly teddy bear was not the one that came to mind when one thought of Winston Bosch.

'He's taken a real shine to Rebecca and he's told her he'll make sure she won't want for anything. Said he even told his wife about the whole ugly mess' Sara added.

'Wow, maybe something good will come of all this - at least for Rebecca and for Bosch.'

'The Lord works in mysterious ways' Sara said with a shrug.

'So, what's the latest? You ready for the big day?'

Sara smiled broadly. 'Our part is easy. Elizabeth's the one doing all the heavy lifting. All Neal and I have to do is get all dolled up and show up on time.'

'It's going to be great' Lydia enthused. 'The girls are _so_ excited. Bea gets up every morning and has to try her dress on before going to school. I have to wrestle it off her so she won't get it dirty.'

'She's going to be a big hit' Sara replied.

'So, nothing new with Hope?' asked Lydia.

'Just the usual never ending contractions and a false alarm that landed her in the emergency room but she's hanging tough. She and Cam are picking up their new car this afternoon so that's given her something positive to focus on. Oh, you didn't forget you're taking that meeting with Mr. Morrison at three, right? Neal and I have an appointment to finalize our choice of cake.'

'I'm on it, boss' Lydia said with a salute, the colour slowly returning to her cheeks. 'What's the plan for Thursday night?'

'Mozzie insisted on having a rehearsal dinner and El is making a big pot of chili for all of us for dinner. We're going to go over the last minute details and then, she's shipping me and Neal off to the Four Seasons until Sunday morning.'

Lydia let out a whistle. 'The Four Seasons! Well, la-di-da!'

'It's Peter and El's gift to us. Three nights living in the lap of luxury, not that we're complaining, mind you' Sara said, returning to sit behind her desk.

'So, do you need Bea to be there for the practice?'

'Naw, it's fine. It might make her more nervous than anything else, it's probably better if we wing it. We're just going to do a run through with Hope and Liam and that way, Mozzie can get his anxiety in check… I hope.'

Lydia laughed, thinking of the funny little man and his permanent state of angst. 'Did you manage to talk him out of giving you a henna tattoo?'

'Thankfully, although every time we veto one of his ideas, he comes up with something even more outlandish. I heard Neal arguing with him the other night; Mozzie wanted to do some chanting during the ceremony - some ancient Himalayan tradition.'

'You _do_ know he's going to sneak something by you, right? Just when you least expect it, he'll do something crazy.'

'I guess I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to have him officiate' Sara mused. 'I suppose there are worse things in life than a crazy, paranoid little man officiating at your wedding… although, come to think of it, I can't think of anything.'

Lydia's face turned pale, her eyes drooping and she got to her feet suddenly.

'Sorry' she mumbled as she brought her hand to her mouth and scrambled out the door.

And, just like that, their meeting was over.

WCWCWC

Elizabeth had chosen the Magnolia location on Columbus Avenue; it was the closest one to Sterling Bosch and the easiest to access by car, considering Neal would be arriving from the school of art out in the Bronx. She paced up and down the quaint storefront waiting for the couple to arrive, spotting Neal coming up on foot across the street.

'Sorry, am I late?' he asked, flustered. 'Parking is a bitch down here.'

'No, Sara's not here yet' El replied, checking her watch. 'We still have a couple of minutes before our appointment.'

Neal picked up on a frenzied look in El's eyes - the one she always got the closer she came to hosting a big event. He'd hung around the Burke household long enough to recognize the look of panic and yet, he'd never witnessed a single event hosted by Elizabeth Burke that hadn't been a complete success.

'You all right?' he asked with a frown.

'Yeah… yeah… just my normal ' _week before a huge event nerves_ ' she replied with air quotes. 'And you know, deep down, I secretly love it.'

'Hey, you two. Sorry, I had trouble getting a cab' came Sara's voice, from around the corner.

'Hey Repo' Neal called out, leaning in to kiss his wife. 'You ready for this?'

'Yeah, let's do it!' Sara exclaimed as the trio entered the busy shop.

The heavenly aroma of 'sweet' filled their nostrils as they stepped into the bustling bakery - carbs as far as the eye could see: cakes, cookies, pies, brownies, scones, muffins, cupcakes. They were immediately led to a small meeting room at the back of the store, surrounded by various samples and a stack of books with the hundreds of options available for special occasions.

Their first wedding had been an intimate affair and the guests had consisted mostly of Neal's coworkers from the White Collar Unit, all of whom were more than familiar with Neal's status as a CI. At the time, he'd still been on anklet, finishing up his sentence and the cake they'd chosen for the occasion had reflected their situation. In a fit of whimsy, the newlyweds had chosen a cake topper that depicted a man with an anklet and a woman wielding a baton, a reference to Sara's not-so-secret weapon. It was playful and whimsical… but times had changed.

Twenty-five years later, Neal's life as a CI had long ago faded into the background and most of the guests who'd be attending the wedding had no idea about Neal's checkered past. Ever since he and Sara had settled down in White Plains, Neal had fully embraced his new life as a devoted husband and doting father and everyone he'd been in contact with knew him as Neal Caffrey: Sara's husband, Hope and Liam's dad, consummate artist, gallery owner, amazing cook and gifted gardener. With a few notable exceptions, Cameron and Caitlin being a case in point, he'd never shared what had brought him to the Bureau all those years ago or the events that had led to his first meeting with his best friend, FBI agent Peter Burke. Although he'd never outright _lied_ about his past, Neal had no interest in shouting it from the rooftops and, this time around, he sure as hell wasn't about to have a wedding cake depicting him as an ex-con.

His gaze wandered to Sara and Elizabeth who were gushing over some of the photographs in the catalogue the consultant had put in their hands. He could feel the memories tugging at his heartstrings as he recalled that beautiful summer day when they'd gathered in June's garden. Sara had looked a vision as she'd walked towards him, beautiful and radiant in her lace trimmed dress. He recalled how Hope had been all dressed up, watching the proceedings from the safety of her Grandma June's loving arms. He swallowed hard, his mind wandering to June Ellington, the woman who had been so influential in his life. She had given him all the time in the world to figure things out while slowly but surely guiding him towards the life he now was privileged to have. He'd once told her she'd been his saving grace; truer words were never spoken.

In some ways, it felt as if they were still newlyweds and yet, so much had happened over the past twenty-five years: he and Sara had shared an amazing adventure, one he could never have foreseen back on that day, all those years before. Sara laughed out loud and Neal's gaze settled on his wife, noticing her eyes sparkling with excitement.

'What do you think, Neal?' she asked, forcing him to return to the here and now.

'About what?' he asked.

She rolled her eyes. 'About this… a cupcake tree instead of a traditional cake.'

Neal looked down at the photograph Sara was pointing to, an elaborate display of delicious looking cupcakes of various colours, all mounted in the shape of a tree.

'That's a great idea' Elizabeth interjected. 'That way, you can get all different flavours and it's great for the kids. A lot less waste too.'

Neal smiled brightly; he couldn't give a rat's ass about what they decided, as long as that glow in Sara's eyes never faded.

'Great idea' he said wistfully.

'You could have a small cake just for cutting, if you like' the consultant was saying. 'And for a topper… did you want a topper?'

Neal and Sara looked at each other, both thinking back to their original cake decoration - which had been put away for safekeeping somewhere in their basement along with all the other souvenirs of twenty-five years of married life.

'Yeah, we want a topper, right Repo?' Neal said with enthusiasm.

'Of course' Sara said as she began perusing the options. 'Can we have one with our kids on it?'

'Sure. There's something for everyone, see?' the woman said. 'We can personalize it to represent each one of your kids.'

Sara giggled as she saw one of a man holding a baseball behind his back while his bride struck a pose, preparing to swing a bat.

'Well, our son is a basketball player' she began as the woman pointed to a man holding a basketball. 'And our daughter… she's an artist and she's pregnant at the moment and then, there's our foster daughter… we want to include Caitlin, don't we, honey?' she asked, turning to Neal who was nodding enthusiastically.

'Of course' he murmured.

'We can do that' the woman said. 'How about something that best represents the two of you? Maybe something a little… whimsical?'

Sara chuckled at the sight of a bride and groom with the woman's hand squeezing her husband's butt and another of the bride dragging her soon-to-be husband by the coat collar.

'Awww, that's nice' she commented at the sight of a bride and groom sitting on the edge of the cake, staring into each other's eyes. 'I like that one.'

Neal could see that look in her eyes again; the sentimental, dreamy one he didn't often get to see. He _knew_ that look, he _loved_ that look, and when she got that faraway gaze in her eyes, he couldn't care less what she wanted - he would gladly pull a George Bailey and lasso the moon for her.

'That _is_ nice' he agreed. 'You want to get that one?'

'We could have your kids in the background and you two up front here, sitting on the edge of the cake' the consultant said.

Neal and Sara looked at each other, stars in their eyes. 'Yeah' Neal said with a wide grin. 'Let's do that.'

'All right, dark, wavy hair for the groom and reddish hair for the bride' the woman said, jotting down the information. 'Now, let's discuss flavours.'

WCWCWC

The Caffeys were still sitting at the kitchen table, finishing up dinner when they heard a car horn off in the distance, honking insistently.

'Who the hell is that?' Caitlin asked as Neal's face brightened.

'That must be the Armstrongs with their new car' he called out, over his shoulder, hurrying to the front door with the rest of the family in tow.

Sure enough, the sight of Cameron and Hope waving happily from inside their brand new car greeted the foursome as they got to the door.

'Wow! Nice going, Cam' Liam called out as he ran out to meet them.

Everyone meandered around the car, checking out all its features while Cam showed off the cruise control and the built-in GPS.

'Now, we won't get lost when we come over' he joked.

Watching his daughter's face all lit up like a Christmas tree was more than Neal could take; happy wife, happy life extended to happy daughter as well and he gave Sara a furtive glance, watching her enjoying the sight of their daughter so relaxed and content.

'Do you guys want to come in for dessert?' Sara asked.

'We thought we'd go for ice cream' Hope enthused. 'Who wants to come?'

'I'm in!' Liam cried out as he climbed in the back seat without hesitation.

'What about you, Cay-Cay?' Hope asked.

'Will is coming over in a while' Caitlin replied. 'Bring me back a strawberry sundae, will you?'

'Mom? Dad?' Hope offered. 'Our treat!'

'You guys go ahead' Neal said, content to let the younger generation take a spin. 'Mom and I have stuff to do.'

The trio stepped back, watching as their offspring drove away. The last thing they heard as Cam backed up the car was Liam begging for a chance to get behind the wheel.

'So, can I drive it back?' they heard him ask his brother-in-law excitedly.

'No!' Cam's voice was heard, receding as they drove off. 'Nobody but the owners get to drive it for the first twenty-four hours. It's written in the owner's manual…'

WCWCWC

'What's that?' Neal asked, peeking over his wife's shoulder.

'That's not for you to see!' she declared, placing her hand on top of the sheet of paper she'd been scribbling on.

Neal took a seat next to her at the kitchen table. 'Questionnaire for my bachelor party?'

'Yes' she replied dryly. 'We said we'd tell each other if we found out anything but I'm not going to give you my answers. Don't you think it would look suspicious if we both aced the test?'

Neal shrugged. 'I can fake a couple of wrong answers…' he ventured with a devilish look in his eyes.

'NO! I'm all for having your back, Caffrey but we are _not_ cheating!'

'It's not cheating if we both do it' Neal offered with his best innocent grin.

Sara was having none of it. 'I said no, now, butt out and let me finish this on my own.'

'Fine. Care to make a friendly wager on who gets the most right answers?' he asked. 'Winner treats the other to dinner at one of the best restaurant in Paris.'

'L'Abeille?' she asked, suddenly interested.

'Or Épicure. Winner's choice' Neal stated, referencing the restaurants they were both dying to try.

Sara looked on, her attention fully engaged. 'Oh, because you think you know _me_ better than I know _you_?'

Neal shrugged. 'Just sayin…' he said cockily.

'Were you honest with your answers?' she asked; she wouldn't put it past him to deliberately sabotage her.

'Of course' he replied, indignant.

'Okay then, deal!' she said, putting out her hand.

He took it, placing a sweet kiss on the inside of her palm and giving her a taunting look. 'You're going down, Repo!' he said gleefully.

'Going down where?' came Caitlin's voice from behind them.

'Just a friendly wager between Sara and me' Neal said with a glimmer in his eye.

Caitlin grinned; she loved watching the two of them tease each other and try to outsmart the other.

'Did Will call while I was in the shower?' she asked.

'Yes, he did. Said he'd be here in about twenty minutes' Sara replied, checking her watch. 'Mind you that was… fifteen minutes ago.'

'Did he get the results from that testing he did at the university?' Neal asked.

'He had his feedback session today' Caitlin said, excitement dancing in her eyes. 'I can't wait to hear how it went.'

'You _do_ realize that's not the hard part, right?' Neal asked.

'What do you mean?'

'You haven't met Will's dad' Neal explained. 'He's not the most… receptive guy you'll ever meet.'

'Neal!' Sara chastised.

'What? It's true. How many times has Will sat here at this very table and told us horror stories about his father?'

'Honey, nobody likes what their parents do all the time' Sara replied.

'Well, he's going to need your support if he wants to confront his dad' Neal said, turning to face Caitlin. 'Are you up for that?'

Caitlin frowned; she thought the hard part had been to get Will to agree to some career counselling but she was certainly willing to do anything to support him on his journey.

The doorbell rang and Caitlin was instantly on her feet, practically sprinting to the front door as Neal and Sara looked at each other, barely suppressing a laugh at her newfound enthusiasm.

'Guess, she's happy to see him' Neal commented, under his breath as he wagged his eyebrows.

'Hey Will' Sara called out as the young man stepped into the kitchen, holding Caitlin's hand in his.

'Hi Mrs. Caffey, Mr. Caffrey' the young man said.

'So, what have you two got planned for tonight?' Neal asked.

'Just hanging out. We thought we might watch a movie' Caitlin said, looking at her foster parents and wishing they would do a disappearing act.

Sara was the first to pick up on her not so subtle appeal for a little privacy.

'Well, I'm going to go finish this upstairs' Sara said as she rose from the table, watching as Neal got to his feet.

She glared at him. 'That was _not_ code for 'would you like to come with me' she added snarkily.

Neal frowned and brought his hand to his chest in a gesture of mock hurt. 'Ouch!' he cried.

He looked down at old Raffie, laying listlessly under the table, snoozing. 'I guess that leaves the two of us, buddy. Come on, I'll take you for a walk. It looks like we're not needed around here.'

WCWCWC

'So, how's it going down there?' Sara asked as she took some clothes out of their shared closet and lay them on the bed.

'Quiet' Neal replied. 'I think Caitlin is trying to keep Will's spirits up.'

'Honey, I don't need that' he added, pointing to the Lacoste shirt she'd laid out and placed on top of the open suitcase.

'Which ones do you want to bring?' she asked. 'And what are you wearing Saturday night?'

Neal stood in front of the closet and reached for a couple of shirts, passing them over to his wife.

'This is like a pre-honeymoon honeymoon' Sara cooed. 'By the way, I booked us in for a couple's massage on Saturday afternoon before the bachelor party.'

'Mmmm. A couple's massage… I like that' Neal replied as he dropped everything and stepped closer to his wife, reaching for her from behind. 'Maybe we'll want to skip the bachelor parties altogether and have a private celebration of our own.'

He brought his lips to her neck, his arms snaking around her waist and resting on her belly, rubbing sensuously as he sighed.

'I thought you were saving yourself for marriage, Caffrey' she reminded him with a playful grin.

'Technically, we _are_ married… Besides, you _do_ realize our actual anniversary is Saturday' he cooed in her ear. 'That's definitely worth celebrating.'

'That's right' Sara replied. 'With all the hoopla, I'd totally forgotten Saturday is the 14th.'

'Too bad we have to spend Saturday evening apart' Neal said, his hand wandering up to cup her breast and squeezing gently. 'It seems like the perfect night to… you know, renew our… vows.'

Sara managed to turn around to face him, laughing heartily. 'If you play your cards right, you just never know what might happen when we get back to the hotel after the bachelor party' she teased.

Neal's eyes grew into pools of desire and she could feel him pressing more insistently against her, his body betraying his lustful thoughts.

'But not tonight, though' she declared, pulling away decisively as he let out a loud groan.

WCWCWC

'How can I help?' Caitlin asked as the young couple cuddled on the family room couch.

'You can't, that's just it. There's nothing anyone can do.'

'Well, what's the worst thing that could happen?' she asked, worried.

'He could disown me…'

'What do you mean, disown you? This isn't medieval times' Caitlin laughed.

'Well, if he gets angry enough, he _could_ kick me out of the house… decide not to help pay for my tuition. As a matter of fact, that's probably the most likely scenario' Will replied, his arm tightening around Caitlin's shoulder.

'You're kidding?'

'Like I said, you don't know my dad. My mom will probably try to come to my defence but he can slam her down with just one dirty look… or a demeaning comment.'

Caitlin brought her head to rest on Will's shoulder. 'He sounds like a monster. Has he ever… hurt your mom?'

'You mean physically?' Will murmured as Caitlin nodded against his chest.

'No. But, believe me, there are much worse ways to hurt someone. He's fine as long as he gets his way but if you cross him…'

'So what are you saying? You don't want to tell him?'

'I'm going to have to eventually but… maybe I'll get myself sorted out first, get accepted into pre-med and once all the paperwork has gone through, I can break the news to him.'

Caitlin pulled away to look him squarely in the face. 'So you really want to go through with this?'

Will looked back, strangely at peace for someone who'd just shared some pretty frightening scenarios with her.

'When they told me how high I'd scored in health sciences, it all became so clear. Suddenly, I could see myself… practicing medicine. It's going to be a long haul but I can't go back now…'

'I'm proud of you, Will' Caitlin murmured.

'Let's see if you're still proud of me when I'm living on the streets' he half-joked before turning serious once more. 'Caitlin, you've forced me to take a good, hard look at myself and I can't go on pretending to be someone I'm not.'

Caitlin reached out to hug him, feeling him relax in her arms. She'd planted a seed and now, she needed to see it through; Will would be needing her and she was determined to stand by him, no matter what.

TBC


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

 _There once was a little boy, a bright-eyed toddler who was the apple of his parents' eye. He was inquisitive and smart - some might say too smart for his own good and he looked up to his dad with admiration, dreaming of becoming a policeman just like him. But it was not to be and the little boy's world came crashing down when his dad did a very bad thing and was taken away, leaving him alone with his disconsolate mom._

 _The little boy grew up, left to his own devices and before long, he realized he had been gifted with an outstanding intellect and breathtaking good looks, gifts he began to use to manipulate and exploit those around him, giving him a semblance of control over his emotionally bankrupt life. The young man filled the emptiness with trinkets and baubles, trying in vain to convince himself that they would somehow fill that void in his heart. Alas, all it did was land him in jail where he spent precious years of his youth brooding and further developing his illicit skills, eager to be set free so he could continue on his search for the big score that would make it all better._

 _Through what some might qualify as divine intervention, the man managed to turn his life around and with time, became a valuable and respected member of the community, a loving husband and caring father. But he never forgot about the woman he'd left behind in his tortured youth. He masked his longing for his mother with anger and resentment until once again, fate intervened to bring them together. The reunion had been rocky at first but with good faith on both sides, mother and son had found common ground and the man had finally found peace within his heart._

Neal thought of Linda Bennett often; he reflected on all those wasted years spent apart while he nursed his bruised ego. He was grateful to his wife for having encouraged him to take that first step towards reconciliation which had led to a few precious years before his mom had sadly left this earth. She'd been gone for over a year now and yet, as he and Sara's wedding renewal ceremony grew nearer, she'd been on Neal's mind constantly, spilling over into his subconscious as he slept. Most of the time, he would dream of her last few days, lying on her deathbed as he sat by her side, sharing precious anecdotes about all those wonderful events that had occurred during the years they'd been apart. Sometimes, in his dreams, she would call out for him - as if he was the only one who could save her from falling into the abyss and typically, Neal would wake up confused and upset at not having been able to do anything to ease her pain.

'Mom… Mom…' he whined as he fidgeted in bed next to his wife.

'Neal! Neal, wake up' Sara said as he flipped over onto his back, still sound asleep, his arms flailing as he hit her squarely in the forehead.

'Neal!' she cried out more insistently, smarting from the unexpected blow.

'What?' he replied, his voice thick with sleep.

'Wake up. You're dreaming!'

'Huh?' he mumbled, still halfway between sleep and full consciousness.

'You were calling out for your mom again' Sara said, sitting up and taking stock of the time on the bedside clock.

'And you just smacked me in the head' she added, annoyed, as she rubbed her forehead.

'S'rry' he muttered, still groggy. 'My mom was…' he stopped mid-sentence, realizing his mom wasn't _actually_ calling out to him, that his subconscious had once again been playing tricks on him.

'This is the second time this week' Sara grumbled. 'What's going on in that head of yours, Caffrey?'

Neal was beginning to connect with reality, the upsetting dream slowly fading and he turned towards Sara, bringing his arms around her and letting out a despondent sigh as he curled up against her.

'Sorry I smacked you' he muttered. 'You okay?'

'Yeah' she replied, rubbing her head. 'I'm fine… are you?'

'I just don't know why I've been having these vivid dreams lately. She's been gone a while now.'

Sara could certainly understand; one of the highlights of the ceremony was having her sister there to share in the day. Emily hadn't been there the first time around and this time, it was amazing to be sharing all this with her. It wasn't surprising that Neal was thinking of his mom as they prepared for their big day.

'Neal, we're getting married in a few days… that's a big deal. I know how much it would have meant to her and I know how much you would have wanted her to be there.'

'I suppose…' Neal murmured.

Sara ran her hand through his hair and he looked over at her, the morning light beginning to brighten the room.

'I'm fine' he repeated, bringing his lips to her forehead. 'So, tell me again, what's the plan for today?'

'I'm going to try to get away around three' Sara replied. 'El is coming over early and she wants to walk us through the backyard and make sure we're good with everything. Mozzie said he'd be here around five but… anyway, when he gets here, we can go through the readings and make sure he doesn't have any unexpected surprises to pull on us.'

Neal gave her a questioning look; of course, Mozzie would be pushing for some, strange twist they hadn't even thought of yet - nor could they possibly imagine.

'Liam is going to swing by and pick up Hope after he gets off work because Cam has to work until nine and… I think Peter is planning to join us for dinner so… that's about it' Sara concluded.

'When does Emily get here?' Neal asked.

'Not until tomorrow night. Caitlin said she'd take the pull-out couch and give up her room now that Hope's old room is all set up as a nursery.'

'Do you need me to stock up on some stuff?' Neal asked. 'I could stop by the grocery store on my way home.'

It was strange to know they'd be having company and wouldn't be there to entertain them.

'Maybe you can get some of that coffee Emily likes and a few odds and ends' Sara replied. 'But Liam and Caitlin will be here… we can just leave them some money.'

'Are we all packed?' Neal asked.

'Pretty well. What about your clothes for the wedding?'

'Peter already took everything over to their place' Neal stated, his face softening.

He ran his hand through Sara's hair and smiled softly. 'Do you realize the next time we sleep in this bed, we'll be married?'

Sara laughed softly and shook her head. 'Neal, we _are_ married' she reminded him. 'But I have to admit this is a lot of fun. I'm really excited about Sunday…. and seeing everyone.'

'Me too' Neal admitted, bringing his lips to hers and depositing a gentle kiss.

'Have you heard from Scott? When are they getting here?' Sara asked.

'I think they're driving up late tomorrow. They want to spend Saturday showing the girls the sights' Neal replied. 'It's too bad we don't have enough room for them to stay here.'

'Are Ken and Ginette staying at El and Peter's?' she asked as Neal nodded.

'I hope they didn't plan anything too outlandish for our parties. We want to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for Sunday' Sara confided.

Neal studied her face. 'Did you find out anything else?'

'No, I've been pumping Liam for information but he's been really tight-lipped. It's almost as if the kids know we've got this pact' Sara responded with a pout.

'Same here, Hope and Caitlin aren't saying a thing about your party' Neal admitted, his detective skills and usual charm not sufficient to get him any dirt this time.

'I guess we're going to have to go with the flow' Sara sighed.

Neal laughed. 'What?' Sara asked, her face growing serious.

'Nothing. It's just that… it's like being on a roller coaster, I guess you have to accept you have absolutely no control and just hang on tight.'

'Well, at least we have each other to hang on to' Sara chuckled.

Neal kissed her again, his face full of emotion. 'Thank God for that.'

WCWCWC

The sun came up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, a beautiful early summer day in perspective for its residents. Cameron Armstrong lay flat on his belly, arms spread out as he snoozed blissfully by his restless wife's side. She turned away from him, her long curls tumbling down her back and tickling her husband's bare back in the process.

'Hope?' Cameron mumbled. 'What's wrong? Why are you making that noise?'

'I'm just… breathing… deeply' she replied with some effort.

Cam turned over, and sat up, instantly at attention. Ever since their impromptu visit to the emergency room, he'd been on pins and needles with every single twinge and moan.

'Are they getting any closer together?' he asked, alarmed.

Hope let out an annoyed sigh. 'Cam, please…stop it. I've got three weeks to go… you can't get worked up every time I get another contraction. You're going to drive me nuts.'

'Sorry' he mumbled apologetically.

The pain receded once more and she looked over at him, his hair falling in his eyes and his face worried.

'No, _I'm_ sorry, sweetie. I know you're just worried. Just… trust me, if there's anything new to report, you will be the first to know' she said with a forced smile.

'So, are you still okay with going over to your folks on your own tonight?'

'Yeah, Liam's going to drive over after work and pick me up. What time are you coming over?'

'As soon as I close up; around 9:30' Cam replied.

Hope's expression changed to a smouldering look and she brought her hand up to caress her husband's thick, disheveled hair, pushing away a wayward strand and moving in a little closer to him. Their bodies connected as she brought her leg up to rest over his, rubbing up against him. The gesture was somewhat awkward considering the large object between them but, nonetheless, left little to the imagination and a smile grew on Cameron's face.

'Why Mrs. Armstrong, is this some sort of a… come-on?' he asked, feigning surprise.

'Maybe… and what if it is?' she teased, rubbing her nose up against his.

'Then we better get a move-on before I have to get to work so I can make lots of money. After all, I need to keep you in the lavish lifestyle you're accustomed to' he replied, his mouth meeting her outstretched lips.

'Mmmm' Hope murmured, instantly getting in the zone. 'Better hurry up, then.'

WCWCWC

One of the two garden locations Master Liam Caffrey was responsible for happened to be located in Brooklyn and that's where the young man ended his workday, a stone throw away from his sister's Bay Ridge address. For the occasion, he had borrowed one of the family's two vehicles so he could complete his mission: acting as taxi driver for the maid of honour. He arrived right on time, finding Hope sitting on the bench in front of their apartment building, looking even bigger than she'd looked two days before. He let out a sigh, preparing to say something nice to her, although all that came to mind was a list of synonyms for the word huge: large, humongous, enormous, gigantic and he shook his head, willing all those words away. He jumped out of the car with ease, watching her struggle to get to her feet.

'Hey!' he called out as he ran towards her. 'Hold on, sis. Let me give you a hand.'

She shot him a look of exasperation - although the sentiment was probably directed at herself - and Liam thanked God she wasn't a mind reader.

'You look… amazing' he said as he helped her to her feet. 'I love that colour on you.'

'Shut up!' Hope said in her usual no-nonsense way. 'I look like a beached whale… and I feel like one too.'

Liam scoffed and gave her a hug - as much as he could with the large protrusion that stood between them. 'Well, you're the prettiest beached whale I've ever seen' he ventured, meaning it and hoping his comment would pass the litmus test.

With a little trouble, he managed to manoeuvre her into the passenger seat of the car and when he reached over to try to strap her in, she slapped his hand away impatiently.

'What do you think you're doing? I can damn well buckle myself up!' she barked angrily as he backed away.

Liam smiled and silently gave thanks again; as a gay man, he would never have to deal with a very pregnant wife and right now, that seemed like another ancillary benefit of his lifestyle.

'So, are you up for this?' he asked, taking his place next to her.

She groaned and Liam glanced over at her, watching as she rubbed her belly. 'Shut up for a minute' she moaned, obviously in some discomfort - if not pain.

He waited patiently; perhaps instead of pointing the car in the direction of White Plains, he should mentally be mapping out the quickest route to the nearest hospital.

'Hope… you're kind of freaking me out with all that moaning' he admitted, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

'Tough…' she grumbled. 'I'm kinda freaking myself out' she replied.

'Should I be like… taking you to the hospital or something?' he asked.

'No, of course not' she said, between laboured breaths. 'It's just… the contractions have been really strong all day…'

They exchanged strained looks and after a moment, Hope's body seemed to relax and she finally broke the uneasy silence between them.

'I'm fine. This is just more of those Braxton Hicks contractions. Tonight's all about Mom and Dad and I want the focus to be on them.'

'Braxton what?' Liam repeated.

'Never mind' she replied, shooing him away with her hand. 'They're just annoying contractions that get you ready for the main event. So, how's the job going?'

'Hum, all right. Mostly the same crew as last summer. It's nice to finally be making a bit of spending money' Liam admitted.

'I heard you got a really nice suit to wear to the wedding' she commented.

'Yeah… I guess' Liam replied. 'Not really my thing but Dad really liked it.'

'I can't believe how much Dad is into this whole wedding thing' Hope said.

Liam looked over and scoffed. 'Are you kidding? Dad is the most sentimental, sappy guy that ever lived. This stuff is like catnip to him.'

'You're right' she agreed with a chuckle. 'It's nice though… I mean after everything that's happened… to see Mom and Dad so happy together.'

Liam nodded; after all the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, only one thing mattered: Sara Ellis and Neal Caffrey were still very much in love and they wanted the world to know it.

WCWCWC

As it turned out, Neal made it home on Thursday afternoon before his wife did. Some unexpected wrinkle had arisen at Sterling Bosch and he'd hightailed it home to get there before their wedding planner arrived - even though she had a key to their home. He put away the few groceries he'd picked up including that special brand of coffee he knew to be a favourite of his sister-in-law and the cereal they only bought when Liam was home and he put on a pot of coffee, preparing for the onslaught of guests who would soon be arriving.

Two suitcases and a garment bag lay by the front door, within easy reach for when the bride and groom finally departed later that night for their little getaway in Manhattan. Neal glanced at the garment bag, tempted to peek inside. Sara still hadn't told him which of the two dresses she'd settled on - the original one she'd fallen in love with or the runner-up with the more modest neckline to cover the offending scar she was still struggling to accept. Frankly, he couldn't care less; his wife had impeccable taste in clothes and he knew she would look amazing no matter what she wore.

He took a moment to consider the two options; he secretly hoped Sara had gone with the dress she'd originally seen in that magazine - just because he knew she'd fallen in love with it. Although she'd described it to him in very broad terms, she'd refused to let him see the photograph - something that had only spurred him on to snoop around until he found it - not that she'd left the photograph lying around. It had taken a couple of days and a dogged search to find it, hidden in the pocket of one of her many purses and Neal had sat there for several minutes staring down at the picture and smiling goofily as he imagined his wife wearing the gorgeous dress.

Now was his chance to find out what she'd decided on and Neal made his way closer, skulking by the front door of his own home as the little devil on his shoulder whispered in his ear.

 _'_ _Go ahead and look, she'll never know'_ the little voice (that sounded oddly like Mozzie) said.

Neal shook his head and frowned as the little angel on the other side piped up.

 _'_ _Sara wants it to be a surprise and you should respect that'_ it said, clear as a bell.

His hand lingered on the zipper of the garment bag, the voices in his head warring with each other as his fingers twitched; old habits were hard to break. He'd made up his mind when he heard a key rattling in the doorknob and he took a step back, his eyes the size of saucers as he waited for the intruder to enter.

'Neal!' Elizabeth called out as she startled at the sight of him. 'I wasn't sure you were home… and I wasn't expecting you to be lurking by the front door.'

'I'm not _lurking_ ' Neal stated defensively, looking guilty as all hell.

El's eyes rested on the garment bag, suspicion rising and she gave Neal a look that could kill.

'I just… brought down our suitcases' he lied expertly. 'You know… for later.'

'Oh' she said, feeling bad for having thought the worst of him. 'Is Sara home?'

'Not yet' Neal replied, relaxing. 'There was some sort of emergency at work but she said she'd be home by five. Come on in, I just put on a pot of coffee.'

They were still standing there when the front door opened again and this time, Caitlin appeared, arriving home from the early shift at the day care and Neal smiled innocently; he'd almost been caught red-handed… twice.

'Hi Mrs. Burke' she said as she moved in to place a kiss on Neal's cheek - not her usual, everyday greeting. 'Hi Mr. C.'

'What?' she said, in response to Neal's look of surprise. 'I'm not going to get to see you again until Sunday.'

He smiled at his foster daughter. 'You want some coffee?'

'Sure. Are we the only ones here?'

'For now' Neal replied as the trio moved to the kitchen to wait for the rest of the gang.

It took about an hour for all the players - minus Mozzie - to arrive. First came Liam and Hope, followed by Sara and finally Peter showed up, after a day of working at the gallery. El walked the happy couple through their large backyard, giving them the highlights and getting their okay on all the last-minute arrangements for the big day. There was the kids corner where each of the younger guests would collect their own, individual activity kit with everything they could want, including crayons, play dough, a pocket-sized etch-a-sketch, glow sticks, a jigsaw puzzle and a disposable camera. A snack table with special snacks for the kids would be set up nearby as well as a small area for video games, and for the teens an assortment of board games next to a cotton candy station and a dress-up corner complete with a photo booth so guests could create memories from the special day.

On the deck, was a designated area for the string quartet she'd hired for the first hour prior to the ceremony and a designated space for the DJ who would be entertaining for the evening. Finally there was the trellis under which the ceremony would take place as well as the bar and the dessert table. They discussed the last minute changes to the menu, the lighting, the flowers and by the time they finished, Sara's head was spinning. All that was left was to go over the actual flow of the ceremony, something for which Mozzie's presence would be required.

Elizabeth had prepared a huge pot of chili and by the time the group settled in around the kitchen table to enjoy it, there was a knock on the door and Neal got to his feet to answer. Mozzie didn't usually bother to knock but when Neal finally opened the door and saw his oldest friend standing there with a large bow and arrow nestled in his arms, he knew it could only mean trouble.

Neal shook his head in disbelief. 'I didn't realize we were re-creating 'The Hunger Games' he stated sarcastically as Mozzie stood there, looking pleased with himself.

Mozzie didn't wait for an invitation; he stepped in, his eyes alight - as they always were when he'd had the absolute best idea he'd ever had.

'Neal, I've found a way to ensure that your marriage to Sara lasts forever' he said excitedly.

Neal stared back, unimpressed. 'If it involves _that_ thing' he began, pointing to the large contraption in Mozzie's hands, 'I'm not interested, Moz!'

'Hear me out, this is a very quaint little Chinese tradition…' the little man began as Neal pointed to the small space near the stairs.

'Put that thing down right now and we can forget this ever happened' Neal declared.

'Neal, these are plastic tips and you only need to shoot three at her… she won't even feel it' Mozzie tried in vain to explain.

Neal just glared at him, jaw firm and he tapped his foot, arms crossed firmly across his chest.

'All right… call me crazy but I'm sensing some resistance here' Mozzie said, walking over to the spot Neal had pointed to and depositing the oversized bow and arrow. 'Why don't you just let that simmer for a few minutes and we can discuss it after dinner.'

He took one look at Neal's unyielding demeanour; if looks could kill. 'Or not…' he added, under his breath.

Neal led the way back to the kitchen, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. 'Look who's here!' he announced as the two of them appeared.

'Hey, Uncle Moz!' Liam called out, thrilled to see his godfather. 'Here, I saved you a seat.'

Conversations abounded as the group enjoyed their meal, the excitement mounting for the big day which was right around the corner. After dinner, the group moved outside to walk through the various parts of the ceremony. Peter, El and Caitlin settled at the patio table to watch the proceedings while Mozzie stood with Neal and Sara, discussing the two readings they had all agreed on.

'Where did Hope disappear to?' Sara asked, looking around and noticing her daughter was nowhere in sight.

'I'll get her' Liam offered, stepping into the house and calling out his sister's name.

She was nowhere in sight, although he could hear some soft moaning coming from the front of the house, a sound he followed, curious yet apprehensive.

'Hope?' he repeated as he made it all the way to the front door, the sound growing louder.

It seemed to be coming from the bathroom right by the front door where Raffie, lay, whimpering in harmony with the moaning that was coming from behind the closed door.

'Hope, are you all right?' he called out through the door.

'I'll be… right there' she replied, her voice shaky.

Liam put his ear up against the door, picking up on the definite sound of retching on the other side.

'Hope, let me in!' he called out, suddenly worried.

He heard the toilet flush followed by the soft click of the lock disengaging and the door opened to reveal Hope, hanging over the edge of the toilet bowl, her face as pale as could be. He was instantly on his knees next to her, his hand on her back.

'What's wrong?' he asked, his breathing shallow.

She looked up at him with daggers in her eyes - ask a stupid question…

'Nothing… I just felt like looking at my reflection in the toilet bowl' she replied wryly.

'Do you want me to call Cam?' Liam asked, choosing to ignore her over-the-top sarcasm.

'No, no, I'm fine. Just help me get up' she moaned as Liam got a good grip of her and hoisted her, not without difficulty, to her feet.

'You are _not_ fine' Liam said, not so easily fooled. 'You're as white as a ghost. I'll go get Mom.'

'NO!' Hope shouted as she leaned forward, holding her stomach. 'It's just the chili… it was pretty spicy.'

Liam wanted to believe her but something wasn't sitting right and he decided this might be an excellent time to finally stand up to his sister and call her on what was obviously bullshit.

'Hope, I _really_ don't think it's the chili' he argued.

'I'm serious' Hope said, standing upright as the contraction ended. 'See, I'm fine. Liam, this is important for Mom and Dad and I don't want them worrying about me.'

Liam seemed unsure, teetering on the edge - he was halfway out the door to get his mom when Hope's hand came to rest on his arm, holding him back.

'I swear to God, Liam Caffrey…' she said, wagging her finger menacingly, '… if you tell Mom and Dad I was throwing up, I'm… I'm taking back my offer for you to be the baby's godfather.'

Liam let out a long slow breath; he knew that look in his sister's eyes and the last thing he wanted to do was antagonize her any further when she was in such a vulnerable state.

'Fine' he muttered, reluctantly giving in to her pleas. He took her arm, leading her out of the small washroom and back outside.

In hindsight, he would live to regret his decision.

TBC


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

Caitlin got to her feet and ambled over to where her foster parents stood, looking very serious as they discussed the game plan with Mozzie.

'Are you sure you don't need me for anything? I said I'd meet Will for coffee.'

'Go!' Sara said, touching her arm. 'We've got this under control.'

'Yeah, I have a feeling this is going to take a while' Neal added, with a head nod towards Mozzie. 'We'll see you on Sunday… for the real thing.'

Caitlin hugged them both and headed towards the house, practically running into Hope and Liam who were on their way back out.

'Good luck you two lovebirds' she called out over her shoulder with a mischievous grin.

'There you are' Sara said as Hope and Liam reappeared. 'I was starting to think we would have to do this without the two of you.'

'Not a chance!' Hope replied, putting on her game face.

Neal stood with Mozzie, glancing down at the sheet of paper the older man was holding in his hands.

'You two still need to decide who's reading what. You're still okay with doing a reading, right?' he asked, glancing over at his two kids.

'Yeah, yeah' Liam replied, seemingly distracted. 'Let's have a look.'

'This one's a poem' Neal said, holding up the first sheet of paper.

'I can do that one' Hope piped up, taking the sheet of paper from her dad's outstretched hand.

'This one is really nice, too' Neal added, handing the other sheet of paper to Liam.

'All right' Mozzie said, taking the proceedings in hand. 'So, let's start at the beginning. Now, do you want the traditional thing where Neal waits for the bride to arrive or do you want to all come in together?'

'I thought Hope and Liam were walking us down the aisle' Sara said, looking from Mozzie to Neal.

'Well, they could both come in with Neal, leave him under the trellis and go back to get you or… the four of you could walk in together' Mozzie explained; he'd obviously given this a lot of thought.

Neal and Sara looked at each other, trying to read the other's mind.

'I don't know…' Sara murmured.

'Maybe we should all come in together' Neal said tentatively. '…as a family.'

Sara smiled. 'Yeah… that's a good idea, honey. Let's do that, we'll come in together… as a family' she repeated.

'Okay, well then Liam you stand over here next to your mom' Mozzie said, taking Liam by the arm and physically dragging him to stand next to Sara. 'Neal and Sara in the middle and Hope, you can take your dad's arm over here, on the other side.'

The foursome rearranged themselves as requested and stood by the patio door, waiting for further instructions from the bossy little man.

'So, you can all start walking towards me… slowly' Mozzie instructed — all that was missing was the beret and the bullhorn and he could easily be mistaken for a 1930's movie director.

'And the quartet will play Pachelbel's Canon in D' Elizabeth added as she sat up straight.

'And then when you get here… Liam and Hope, you can both stand… that's it, Liam by Neal and Hope' he added, taking her by the arm, 'over here, by your mom.'

Liam glanced suspiciously at his sister; she was looking really pale and if he wasn't mistaken, she had an unusual sheen on her forehead - definitely more sweat than glow. She glared back at him and he immediately returned his attention to the task at hand; maybe he was making too much of this.

'Then, I'll do the introduction. We are gathered here…blablabla… blablabla' Mozzie continued as Neal gave his wife a quick glance, filled with skepticism. Who knew _exactly_ what Mozzie would decide to say or do as they all stood there in front of their friends and family.

Hope felt another wave of pain and wavered a bit, fighting to stay upright. After the embarrassment of her false alarm, she wasn't about to give in to a little discomfort and she forced herself to breathe through the contraction as her mom glanced over at her.

'You okay, honey?' Sara asked, frowning.

In a performance worthy of an Academy Award, Hope smiled back through the increasing pain and Sara returned her gaze to Mozzie who was yammering on about the readings.

'So, Liam, when I call on you, you'll come stand over here at the microphone to face everybody and you'll read your text' Mozzie motioned.

Liam nodded vacantly and moved to the designated spot, looking warily at his uncle. 'What? You want me to do it now?'

'No, no, that's okay. Just make sure you read it ahead of time so you don't stumble.'

Elizabeth watched from the sidelines, picking up on the strain on her goddaughter's face. She sprang to her feet, dragging a chair closer to where the two women stood, side by side.

'Here honey, why don't you sit down. There's no need for you to be standing like that' she said, taking her arm.

Hope forced a smile, relieved to get off her feet; the contractions were relentless and she was feeling an unfamiliar pressure at the bottom of her large belly - a strange sensation she'd never felt before.

'Thanks' she murmured as her uncle Mozzie continued to drone on with his endless instructions.

Mozzie looked over in the direction of the bride and groom, avoiding their direct gaze as he continued. 'At this point' he began, 'I will do the Himalayan chant…'

'NO Himalayan chant!' Neal interrupted as Mozzie pouted. 'We talked about this, Moz. No chanting!'

Mozzie looked away, obviously flustered and he carried on as if Neal hadn't said a thing. 'Then we'll move on to the second reading. Hope, you can come and —'

He spotted her sitting there, looking somewhat uncomfortable. 'Well, on Sunday, you'll come and stand over here' he pointed.

Once again, Liam glanced over at his sister who was looking even worse than before. Maybe he should have spoken up earlier and he'd just opened his mouth to say something when he felt her eyes boring into his, silently urging him to shut up.

'Got it, Uncle Moz' she spoke, cutting Liam off before he could say anything.

'Then, you two will say your vows' Mozzie explained. 'Now, who's going first?'

Neal and Sara exchanged knowing looks, both of them thinking back to their first wedding where Neal had been the first to speak, leaving Sara an emotional wreck as she'd tried to muddle through reciting hers.

'You want to go first this time?' he asked his wife.

'Considering I was blubbering all the way through my vows last time, yeah!' she replied with a grin.

Neal chuckled. He remembered how emotional things had been on that day. There was no reason to believe emotions wouldn't be running just as high this time around.

'Okay' he said. 'Sara will go first.'

Hope let out a groan which she'd been fighting for a few minutes.

'Honey… what's wrong?' Neal asked, moving closer to where she sat, looking a lot worse for wear.

'Sorry, it's nothing, Daddy' she murmured, downplaying the intense bolt of pain cutting through her like a knife. 'It's just a twinge.'

'Are you sure? We can take a break if you need to rest' he offered as Sara hovered nearby. 'You're looking a little pale.'

'Dad, I'm fine. Stop fussing. Let's just… carry on, okay?' she said, her voice surprisingly strong.

Neal returned to his spot next to Sara as Liam grimaced; it wasn't too late to speak up and yet, he resisted in deference to his sister's wishes - she _was_ an adult after all and she would kill him if he spoke up now.

'After you two have said your vows, we'll do the exchange of rings' Mozzie continued. 'Where are they, by the way?'

'I've got them' Neal said. 'They're in my suit pocket over at Peter and Elizabeth's place.'

'Well, don't forget them' Mozzie chastised, in full 'bossy' mode. 'What did you end up choosing as music to end the ceremony?'

Neal and Sara grinned; at their first wedding, June had sung the Etta James classic 'At Last' and this time around, they'd had to find something to replace it.

'Stevie Wonder' Neal called out with glee.

'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' Sara added with a grin as she gave Neal a playful hip check.

'Does the DJ know that?' Mozzie asked, turning to look at Elizabeth.

She gave him a salute and he nodded earnestly; he sure was taking this whole officiant thing seriously.

'And basically, that'll be it for the _formal_ part of the ceremony' he concluded.

'Formal part?' Neal repeated, suddenly worried that Mozzie was about to pull a fast one.

'There may be a few last minute… modifications.'

'Modifications….' Neal repeated, deadpan. 'No Moz, _nothing_ last minute!' he declared, without a hint of humour.

Mozzie looked away, avoiding the look of reprimand in his buddy's eyes and muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

'So' he said, changing the subject. 'I want to do the entrance one more time, with the music. I've got a recording here.'

He walked the foursome back to the door, placing them in the proper order once more - it wasn't rocket science and yet, he sure knew how to make a production of it. He gave Elizabeth the signal and she turned on the old fashioned tape recorder Mozzie had brought along and the beautiful strings of Pachelbel were heard filling the Caffrey's backyard.

Neal and Sara smiled at each other in anticipation and clasped hands, flanked by Hope and Liam on either side and the four of them prepared to start the short march out the door and onto the deck towards the designated spot. The addition of music seemed to make the whole thing a lot more solemn and Sara could feel butterflies in her stomach as she took the first step.

'Slowly!' Mozzie instructed, hands up in the air as if he were conducting an orchestra.

Hope slipped her arm into her dad's and he smiled back at her before returning his gaze to his bride, imagining how amazing Sara would look in her special wedding day outfit. They'd taken another step when Hope let out a most disconcerting groan, her hand moving to grasp her stomach.

She heard a strange popping noise, followed by a most unusual sensation and suddenly she felt a gush of water escape as she stood there, motionless, watching the puddle forming at her feet.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, momentarily paralyzed.

'Oh…' Mozzie said with a frown. 'A little… bladder accident.'

'That's _not_ her bladder, Moz' Elizabeth called out as she got to her feet to assist her goddaughter.

Neal was the next to notice, his shoes splattered by the unexpected discharge and he quickly reached out to support Hope's crumpling body as everyone gathered around her.

'Hope!' Sara cried out, coming around to stand on the other side of her to keep her legs from giving out.

Elizabeth was instantly there with a chair, helping Hope settle into in; the mother-to-be was pale, her breathing irregular and she was shaking like a leaf.

Liam backed away in consternation. 'What is _that_?' he whispered to his uncle Peter who had come to stand beside him.

'Her water broke' Peter replied softly.

'What water?' Liam asked meekly.

'It means she's in labour… I think' Peter replied, just as shocked at the spectacle as his nephew was.

Hope sat in the chair, looking horrified, the water still trickling out from underneath her dress.

'Mom…' she whimpered as Sara leaned down to take her hand.

'It's okay, sweetie. We'll get you to the hospital right away. Neal, go get the car' she ordered as he gave her a puzzled look.

'What? You want me to drive it _into_ the backyard?' he asked facetiously before turning to speak to Hope. 'Honey, can you stand up?'

She looked up at her dad, tears welling as another monster contraction took over. 'NO!' she cried out, grabbing for her mom's hand and squeezing it tight.

'Do you want me to call Cam?' Liam asked, feeling totally useless, just standing there.

'Yes' Sara replied without hesitation. 'Tell him to meet us over at White Plains General.'

'But I'm supposed to have the baby at Lenox Hill' Hope moaned, her hand on her belly.

'I know, honey, I know. But there might not be enough time to get you all the way to Manhattan' Sara said.

Her eyes met Neal's who was looking equally worried; how had things escalated so quickly.

'Let's get you inside' Sara said as Peter and Neal got on either side of Hope and helped her to her feet.

'I don't know…' Liam said into the phone. 'It's just happening so fast. Mom says they're going to take her over to White Plains. Okay, I'll tell her.'

'Cam… I want Cam' Hope was moaning as her dad and uncle supported her weight and helped her walk to the patio door. She took a few steps before another contraction hit and she stopped, letting her weight fall against her dad.

'Wait, wait, wait, wait' she pleaded, all semblance of fearlessness melting away. 'This is a bad one.'

'Breathe sweetie, breathe' her mom instructed, standing behind her to keep her from keeling over.

They were halfway to the door and Hope took another tentative step. 'I need to sit down' she announced as the two men helped her inside and headed over to the couch.

'Liam, go get some towels' Sara shouted as he ran ahead and deposited a few tea towels on the couch just as Hope was lowered down.

'I just… need a minute… to catch my breath' she said as the contraction slowly began to fade.

Everybody stood around her in shock as she sat back, her breath faltering, her face glistening with sweat.

'Let's give her a little space' Neal suggested as everybody backed off.

Peter, Liam and Mozzie retreated to the backyard deck and sat at the table with their mouths hanging open while El, Sara and Neal stayed close to Hope, waiting for her to catch her breath and trying their best to assess the situation.

'You okay, sweet pea?' Neal asked as he took a seat next to his daughter on the couch. He brought his hand to rest on her back and rubbed gently and Hope relaxed for a moment between contractions.

El and Sara stood nearby, exchanging worried looks. Sara had given birth to two babies but both her deliveries had taken place after several hours of labour. She'd read about labour coming on suddenly but she hadn't experienced it first hand; this was looking like full-blown birth pangs but she couldn't be sure. All she knew was that the faster they got Hope to the hospital, the better.

'Mom…' Hope moaned as Sara knelt in front of her.

'What is it, honey' Sara replied, holding her hand.

Hope's face grew tense, her eyebrows tight. 'It feels like I need to push.'

The colour drained from Sara's face as her eyes briefly met Neal's. 'No, honey. No pushing. You can't push, not yet. We'll get you to the hospital, okay? Everything's going to be fine.'

'No Mom, I'm telling you. It feels like I really need to push' Hope wailed.

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'This is all my fault' Liam murmured once he was alone with his uncles.

'What do you mean?' Peter asked.

'I found her… throwing up in the bathroom. I should have said something to Mom right away.'

'It's not your fault' Mozzie said, placing his hand on his godson's shoulder. 'In case you haven't noticed, your sister has a mind of her own and she's stubborn, just like your mom.'

'I know but… I had a feeling something wasn't right but she kept telling me it was… Brexit…'

'Braxton Hicks?' Peter asked as Liam looked at him, eyes wide with surprise.

Peter frowned, surprising himself with his knowledge of pregnant women and their contractions. 'Your dad taught me… years ago' he explained with a shrug.

'She's going to be fine' he added as the three men tried to peek through the patio door, noticing Sara kneeling in front of Hope.

'People have been having babies for centuries' Mozzie said, a widely undisputed fact which, in the present situation, was of no particular comfort.

'Maybe so…' Liam said, his eyes riveted on what was happening inside. 'But this is Hope.'

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'Sweetheart, the car is just a few feet away from the front door. We'll help you settle in the back seat and Cameron will be there when we get to the hospital' Neal explained with patience.

'No, Daddy. You don't understand… my body wants to push… now' she moaned, leaning forward in order to ride another wave of pain.

She let out a loud scream and brought her hand to the bottom of her belly.

'Cam!' she called out as she began to cry loudly to everyone's dismay.

Neal had been present for _three_ births, his own two children and the birth of Diana and Christie's eldest daughter, Olivia. He was no expert by any means but he could see that same look of terror in his daughter's eyes he'd seen on Diana Berrigan's face as the two of them had sat on the floor of a broken down elevator. There was still time to get Hope the help she needed and he was determined to get her somewhere where trained medical professionals could make sure his little girl and his grandson would be safe.

'Sweetheart' he attempted once more. 'Once you get to the hospital, they'll take good care of you.'

Hope replied with another loud grunt and she let her body fall back on the couch, her breathing becoming more laboured, her face growing tense with the intensity of the pain.

'Neal…' Sara said breathlessly, giving him a head nod in the direction of the kitchen.

He got to his feet to follow her and Elizabeth took his place next to Hope on the couch, her arm loosely wrapped around the mother-to-be as she rode the wave.

Sara glanced over at Hope before speaking, her voice quiet. 'How did this happen so fast?'

'I think we've been missing some cues, she's obviously been in labour for a while' Neal whispered back.

'Maybe we should look… you know, to check and see before we move her' Sara said, her voice strained.

'What? You think she's already… ' Neal asked, unable to finish his thought.

Sara shrugged. 'Dilated? I don't know, but if she says she needs to push…'

'But it's too early…' Neal countered, his eyes wandering back to the action on the couch.

'Still, we should… take a peek and see' Sara argued. 'You want to do it?' she asked, cringing.

'No! You?' he replied. He was fine with holding Hope's hand but he drew the line at positioning himself at the other end and having to evaluate if his daughter was in full-blown labour.

'You did it with Diana' she reminded him.

'So? That was Diana not my daughter… and I was alone with her in the elevator, I didn't have a choice' Neal countered.

Sara frowned, unhappy with his response.

'Okay, okay, I'll do it…' she said grudgingly. She'd never been on the receiving end of a delivery before but she sure as hell knew what it felt like when your body decided it wanted to push. If Hope was saying she felt the need to push, she might be closer to having the baby than they dared imagine.

Hope was practically lying on the couch when they turned their attention back to her. They'd agreed that if there was no sign of the baby's head, they would force Hope to go to the hospital even if they had to carry her out to the car, kicking and screaming. If there was any sign whatsoever that the baby's arrival was imminent, they would call for help and not move her from her spot on their family room couch.

The two of them made their way back just as Hope was catching her breath, recovering from her last contraction, the most violent thus far.

'Mom…' she moaned weakly. 'Please help me… I need to push.'

'Lie back, sweetie' Sara instructed as Neal positioned himself near Hope's head, grabbing her hand for support. 'I'm going to take a look, okay?'

Hope let herself fall back against her dad and she let her legs fall open. Sara pulled up her dress a few inches and reached down to remove her underwear, the only thing keeping her from seeing what was really happening down there. She took one last frightened glance in Neal's direction before letting her eyes drop, her mouth falling open as she spotted the very top of her grandson's head, peeking out. It wasn't much more that a small thatch of dark hair but there was no mistaking it and she looked up at her best friend, who was hovering nearby.

'El, tell the boys to call an ambulance' she said as calmly as she could. 'The baby is crowning.'

'And call Cam and tell him to get over here… right now!' she added as Hope let out another blood curdling shriek.

'It's okay, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine' Neal said, squeezing in behind her and positioning her back up against his chest for leverage. 'Just take my hand and squeeze it tight.'

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'Hope's having the baby… right now' Elizabeth announced as she stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She looked from Liam to Peter who seemed equally shocked.

'What… like… _right_ now?' Liam exclaimed.

'One of you call an ambulance and the other one call Cam and tell him to hightail it over here before he heads over to the hospital' she directed before turning on her heels and returning inside to see if she could be of any help.

Liam and Peter looked at each other, mouths agape.

'You call the ambulance, I'll call Cam' they both said simultaneously.

'Okay, okay, _you_ call Cam and _I'll_ call the ambulance' they said in unison as Mozzie grabbed the phone from Peter's hand.

'Oh, for heaven's sake' Mozzie said, grumbling. 'And you call yourself a Suit!'

Peter and Liam watched in shock as Mozzie dialled 911 and spoke calmly to the operator on the other end.

'Yes' he said. 'We need an ambulance at 4788 Meadowbrook Street. We have a young woman here who's about to give birth.'

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'What do you mean, she's having the baby now?' Cameron screamed into the phone. 'Why haven't you taken her to the hospital?'

'I don't know Cam, just… get over here. She's… asking for you' Liam replied, pacing back and forth on the backyard deck.

As if to make a point, Hope's shrill scream was heard through the closed patio door, calling Cam's name as everyone cringed.

'Was that Hope screaming?' Cam asked, horrified, as he put the pedal to the metal.

'Just… get here as fast as you can, okay?' Liam said, peeking through the glass door to see his parents surrounding his sister.

'Tell her I love her and I'm coming!' Cameron shouted as he passed the car up ahead at full speed.

He navigated the road ahead as best he could, thankful that the worst of rush hour traffic was over and more than grateful to have a good dependable vehicle to get him where he needed to go. He was almost half way to White Plains already but he still had a good thirty minute drive and he was determined to cut that time as much as possible without leaving his soon-to-be-born son without a dad — or being hauled in to the local police station for speeding.

Alas, his worst fears were realized when he spotted a police cruiser coming up behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring. He wasn't thinking straight but he knew enough to pull over, watching in his rear view mirror as the officer exited his vehicle and made his way to stand by his car window.

'Officer, my wife is having a baby…' Cameron stuttered. '…and she's stuck at her parents' place… and… if I don't get there, I'll miss the birth of my first son and…'

'Sir, sir. May I see your driver's license, please' the office asked, interrupting Cameron's long, rather incoherent monologue.

Cameron dug around the glove compartment, locating the document and practically throwing it in the man's face as the officer smirked. This guy was a mess; there was no way that outlandish story he'd just blurted out was anything but the truth - nobody could be that good of an actor.

'Where is your wife sir?' the man asked.

'At her parents place' Cameron replied, his breath hitching.

The officer chuckled. 'And that would be…'

'White Plains… New York' Cam said, rather unnecessarily.

Again, the man grinned. He hadn't expected it to be White Plains, Alabama.

'What's the address?' the man asked patiently as Cameron blubbered.

'I… I… hum… Meadowbrook Street in Prospect Park' he mumbled. He was drawing a complete blank on the full address.

'What's the name? I'll look it up' the man said.

'Cameron… Armstrong' Cam replied as he saw the look of confusion on the officer's face. 'Oh you mean my in-laws? Caffrey.'

'Okay, sir. Calm down. I'll give you a police escort. You just follow me and I'll get you there as fast as possible. Try to remain calm.'

Cameron watched as the officer jogged back to his cruiser and immediately put the car in gear, his siren and lights going and Cam took off after him, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

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Hope cried loudly, panic setting in as she realized there was no turning back. This was most definitely _not_ how she'd planned on having her baby. Her contractions had been growing more and more intense all day but she'd been kidding herself that it was still too early and that this was just another false alarm. She'd been doing a pretty good job of deluding herself until she'd seen that puddle at her feet. Now, she was regretting not having come clean earlier - just as her seemingly wiser baby brother had insisted she do.

Now, it was too late and she was doomed to give birth on the couch of her parents' place without her husband and the needed support of Dr. Cooper.

Through tears, she looked up at her dad, then her mom and she let out a gut wrenching scream as she felt the wave of intense pain once more. She squeezed her dad's hand as hard as she could and she gave a good hard push.

TBC


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Gloria Parker checked her phone only to find a litany of texts from two of her four kids - who, by all appearances, were busy fighting with each other - on more than one front, it seemed.

Bradley _: Ashley got a bigger piece of cake than me_

Ashley _: Brad won't let me play my video game_

Bradley: _She's a pig, mom_

Ashley: _He's hogging the remote and he won't let me play with Snowy._

She exhaled audibly and pressed speed dial, calling home to talk to her mom - the designated babysitter - and hearing a chorus of discord in the background.

'What's going on over there? I'm being inundated with texts from the kids' she moaned into the phone.

'Get off your phones, you two!' she heard her mom shout at the top of her lungs. 'And leave your mother alone, she's at work.'

Gloria rolled her eyes; not the reassurances she'd been looking for.

'Honey, don't worry' her mother said, her voice reverting to normal volume. 'Everything is under control at this end, you just concentrate on saving lives.'

'Right…' Gloria replied with a measure of skepticism. 'Talk to you later, Mom.'

'Kids fighting again?' her partner asked as he stepped into the room.

Brian Harding was fifteen years her junior, footloose and fancy-free and a recent graduate from the advanced paramedic program at their local community college. He'd been her partner for going on six months, ever since he'd graduated, and what he lacked in experience, he more than made up for with compassion and an unparalleled eagerness to learn.

The life of a paramedic was not an easy one. First off, there was the shift work: three nights on, two days off, four days on, one day off, four nights on… well, you get the idea. As soon as you got used to working the graveyard shift, you had to turn yourself around and get used to working days again. Then, there was the uneven workload. One minute, you might be sitting around in a hospital emergency room, waiting for a patient to be admitted and the next, your adrenaline was through the roof as you raced to an accident scene. Some nights, things were quiet and she even got a bit of shuteye between calls and other times… it was nonstop and she and her partner went from one emergency to the next, without a moment's respite.

'Did you finish checking the truck?' she asked, referring to the ritual of checking everything in their ambulance at the start of every new shift.

'Ready to roll' he replied as he let himself fall on the lumpy armchair beside her. 'Wonder what's in store for us tonight?'

'You mean besides Ashley getting the bigger piece of cake and Brad not letting her play with the cat?' she asked facetiously.

'And you wonder why I don't want kids' he replied as both their phones buzzed.

'We got a call' Brian said, jumping to his feet. 'Imminent birth… yay, another first!' he shouted as if he'd just been invited to a party.

'Let's roll' Gloria said.

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Neal's back was killing him. He's wedged himself up against the arm of the couch to support the weight of Hope's body, his right leg curled up underneath him and cramping badly as he tried to stay the course. Not that Sara was having an easier time of it; she was at the other end, witnessing the miracle of birth, up close and personal.

Elizabeth continued to hover nearby; as their beck and call girl, her job was to make sure the accidental midwives had everything they needed as they dealt with the developing situation as best they could. She brought over a wet facecloth and Neal proceeded to wipe the sweat from his daughter's brow as Hope continued to work hard to bring her son into the world.

Hope let out another blood curdling scream and Neal supported her back as she pushed, helping her get some leverage while Sara's eyes remained peeled on their daughter's lady bits, gauging her progress. How long had it been since they'd called the ambulance? It felt like an eternity.

'El, can you go find out what's happening with the ambulance?' Sara asked as she looked down, noticing the baby's forehead was protruding; she could just about see the top of his ears, peeking out.

Elizabeth stepped outside to find the three men huddled together, face up against the glass, trying, without much success, to gawk at what was happening inside.

'Get away from the door' she barked. 'It's not a peep show!'

'Is she okay?' Liam asked earnestly.

'No Liam, she's _not_ okay' El replied, stress getting the better of her. 'She's pushing a large object through a very small opening and it hurts like hell!'

Liam cringed at the graphic image and El softened at the sight of his horrified face. 'I'm sorry honey… nerves. Can one of you please call and find out what's going on with the ambulance?'

Peter and Liam stared at each other blankly while Mozzie grabbed for the phone.

'You all right honey?' Peter asked El with empathy - of the two of them, she certainly had the less enviable job.

'I'm fine… it's Hope we have to worry about' she replied, glancing into the room.

'Three minutes out' Mozzie reported, hand covering the handset.

'Okay…' Elizabeth said, taking a deep breath and returning inside. 'Stay away from the door' she chastised as the men backed off and returned to sit at the nearby table.

'I'll call Cam again… see what's going on' Liam volunteered as he dialled his brother-in-law's number.

'I'm almost there' Cam's shrill voice shouted when he answered the phone. 'I'm just following the police cruiser.'

Liam grimaced. 'Police cruiser?' he repeated.

'Am I too late?' Cam asked, his voice desperate. 'Please, please, tell me I'm not too late.'

'I don't think so. The ambulance will be here any minute' Liam replied, peeking in, despite his aunt's dire warnings. He couldn't help himself; it was like watching an accident happen in slow motion.

Hope shrieked off in the distance and Cam let out a frustrated groan. 'Five minutes… I'm five minutes away.'

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'Did you hear that, sweet pea?' Neal said as calmly as he could manage. 'The ambulance is almost here.'

'Where's Cam?' she asked, her voice trembling.

'I'm sure he'll be here any minute' Sara said, with fake bravado. 'He doesn't want to miss seeing his baby boy born, now does he?'

Hope made a strangled sound - part nervous laugh, part groan and Neal brought his lips to her forehead as he looked over at his wife.

'You're amazing, honey' he whispered in Hope's ear.

Hope let her body collapse against her dad as she waited for her body to dictate her next move; every single muscle seemed to give out at the sheer energy she was expending as she pushed with all her might.

'Why didn't you tell me how much this hurt, Mom?' she managed to say between gasps.

Sara smiled up at her. 'I know it's a cliché but soon, you'll have your beautiful baby in your arms and this will be a distant memory. Believe me.'

'So, do you want to give us the scoop?' Neal asked, trying to keep her mind occupied. 'What's the baby's name going to be?'

'No fair, Daddy…' she groaned, between shaky breaths. 'Asking me that when I'm… otherwise occupied.'

Neal laughed nervously as did Sara and for a moment, there was calm as she geared up for another big push.

'Aaaarghh!' she screamed as Neal and Sara looked at each other, faces tense - they were off to the races once more.

Seeing their baby girl in such pain was hard on both of them but for Neal, especially, it brought back memories of how helpless he'd felt when Sara was in labour and how upset and worried he'd been during those harrowing hours, trapped alone in an elevator with Diana. He couldn't bear to see his little girl in such agony; he wanted this ordeal over so he could once again see her smiling eyes and relaxed face.

There was a small commotion at the front door followed by a brief knock, and before Elizabeth could make her way to open the door, it flew open and in walked a tiny woman and a younger man carrying a large bag.

'Hi' the woman said. 'We hear you could use our help.'

'You have no idea' El said, leading the way to the back of the house.

'Honey, look who's here' Sara said with relief as she got to her feet and moved away to make room for the EMTs.

'Who have we got here?' Gloria asked with a soft smile.

'This is Hope. She's 37 weeks along' Sara explained.

'Are you her… older sister?' Gloria asked with a playful grin.

Sara chuckled at the woman's attempt at humour. 'I'm Sara, her mom. This is Neal, Hope's dad.'

'Wow, about to become grandparents…' Brian Harding said as he and his partner got closer and began to take charge of the situation.

'Hi Hope' Gloria said as she leaned in and ran her hand across Hope's sweaty forehead. 'I'm Gloria and this is Brian and we're going to give you a hand with your baby, all right?'

Hope gasped and continued to moan as the woman took the spot previously occupied by Sara and proceeded to evaluate the state of affairs.

'Let's get her on the floor' she told her partner. 'Do you have any cushions or an air mattress, something like that?'

'We can use the cushions on the lounge chairs out on the deck' Sara suggested as Elizabeth immediately sprung into action.

'And if you have a plastic sheet or… maybe a plastic tablecloth' the woman added.

'Yeah, sure' Sara replied. She ran to the kitchen and began rummaging through the drawers coming up with one of the plastic tablecloths they used out on the patio, bringing it over and handing it to the woman.

Neal remained squeezed between Hope's exhausted body and the arm of the couch and he ran his hand down her arm as she took a breather between pushes.

'Hope, we're going to move you to the floor in a minute, okay?' Gloria explained. 'You'll have more room to move that way and we can better help you.'

Hope stared back at the kind stranger, her eyes wide and her breathing, shallow. 'O-kay' she said, her voice weak. 'I'm not going to the hospital?'

'Not right now, Hope. Your baby is coming really soon, he's already started to come out' she explained as she and Neal helped her sit up in order to prepare for the transfer.

'But Cam's not here' Hope whined breathlessly.

'Is that your baby's daddy?' Gloria asked with an encouraging smile as she continued working.

Hope nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

'It's okay, honey. Cam's on his way; he'll be here really, really soon' Neal reassured her - although, truth was, he had no idea _when_ Cameron would finally get there or worse yet, _if_ he would get there on time.

Elizabeth and Sara assisted Brian in laying some cushions down on the floor, making room for the makeshift bed and they covered them with the tablecloth and a clean sheet. The paramedics expertly transferred Hope to the floor as the women backed away, watching them work with ease and confidence - a reassuring sight.

Neal, whose body had been wedged between Hope and the unyielding arm of the couch for the past little while, stretched out his leg and let out a sigh of relief as he endeavoured to get back on his feet. He rubbed his aching back and followed Brian to the patio door where the man had caught sight of the members of the peanut gallery, watching the proceedings through the patio door.

'Not a spectator sport, lads!' he declared, making his way to speak to the three men. 'Why don't you all go for a walk and we'll let you know when the blessed event happens.'

Neal followed, his legs wobbly and his face pale and Peter put a hand up to his shoulder. 'You okay, buddy?' he asked.

'Yeah… yeah' Neal said as he began to shake slightly, the adrenaline starting to fade from his system. 'Maybe you could all go down to Mel's Diner and we'll call you and let you know what's going on.'

'Are you sure, Dad?' Liam asked, his face tense.

'Like the man said, it doesn't do Hope any good for all of us to be standing around… staring' Neal replied with a sober smile.

El joined the men and everyone collected their things, preparing to take their leave through the gate by the side of the house. Liam dawdled, his eyes drawn to his dad who stood by the patio door, waving them all off. Neal gave Liam a thumbs up and Liam smiled back, unsure.

The group of four walked away, shoulders drooped and disappeared to the side of the house and around the garage where they all piled into Peter and El's car, noticing the ambulance parked directly in front of the house.

They had just backed out of the driveway when they spotted a police cruiser coming around the corner, its siren blaring as it sped towards the house.

WCWCWC

'So, tell me about your baby' Gloria said as she crouched down to get a better look at how things were developing. She lifted Hope's dress over her hips and covered her with a sheet as she placed her hand down between her legs, touching the baby's head and noticing it was well engaged in the birth canal.

'It's… a… boy' Hope managed to say as Brian settled by her head, leaving Neal and Sara to stand off by the side, their services as midwives seemingly no longer required.

'Mom…' Hope called out in a panic as she turned her head towards her parents.

'Right here, honey' Sara replied, taking a step forward and coming into Hope's line of vision.

'Would you like your mom to sit with you?' Gloria asked as Hope's breathing quickened and she let out another loud shout.

'Sara, you can sit with her if you like' Gloria said.

Sara got down on her knees and took Hope's hand, wiping her forehead with the palm of her hand. 'Hey sweetie, you are doing so well' she said as Hope smiled at her, a smile that immediately melted into a frown and was followed by a shriek.

Brian helped her sit up as she began to push, her face red and her eyes shut tight.

'Keep pushing, Hope' Gloria instructed. 'You're doing great.'

The contraction finally ended and Hope collapsed once more, her hair pasted to her sweat drenched forehead and her body limp. Watching his daughter in so much pain was driving Neal crazy and he began to pace the length of the kitchen to the family room and back again, his eyes drawn to his daughter with every circuit.

He was the first to hear the front door open and he looked up to see Cam come charging in, looking like a wild man.

'Hope!' he called out, following the sound of voices.

'He's here…' Hope whispered to her mom, eyes full of tears.

'Hope…' Cameron repeated as he came around the corner and set eyes on his wife sprawled out on the floor of the family room, surrounded by her mom and a couple of strangers.

'You must be Cam' Gloria Parker said as she gave him a smile. 'I'm Gloria and this is Brian. Looks like your little guy decided to make a dramatic entrance.'

'Is she all right? Are you all right?' Cam asked, getting down on his knees and leaning down to look at his wife.

'I am now…' she murmured as she reached out to touch his face. 'Cam… our baby's coming.'

Cameron laughed out loud in relief; she was fine and astonishingly, he hadn't missed the main event. He settled next to his wife on the floor as Sara stood to join Neal near the kitchen island, giving everyone a little breathing space.

'Mom?' Hope moaned. 'Don't go… okay?'

'Okay sweetheart' Sara reassured her. 'Daddy and I are just going to stand over here and stay out of the way.'

'Cam, I'm so glad you're here' Hope sobbed. 'I was afraid… I thought I was going to have to do this by myself.'

'Are you kidding? I would have done anything to get to you' he said with a nervous laugh. 'You know, climb the highest mountain… swim the deepest sea.'

Hope relaxed a little at his inane comment.

'I did get my own police escort' he added as she frowned.

Before she could ask what he was talking about, the wave came crashing down again and her body tensed up.

'Here, why don't you sit over here' Brian suggested, moving away. 'Just support her back when she pushes… and be careful, she bites' he added with a touch of humour.

Cam nodded and moved to sit behind Hope as she let herself fall back against him, bracing for the next big push.

'Come on, Hope. We need a nice big push this time to get the shoulders out. And then, the baby will just slip out.'

Sara and Neal stood nearby, tears running down their faces as they held on to each other. They were riveted by the scene, incredulous as to what had happened in just the last hour or so. Sara let out a sob and Neal squeezed her tight, his eyes on Hope as she began to push with all her might.

Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion as Brian swooped down with a blanket and where one moment, there had been nothing, suddenly there was a baby, an honest to goodness baby lying there on the white sheet. Gloria expertly scooped him up, wiping him hastily and as she turned him over in her arms, the sound of a loud shriek was heard as everyone let out a huge collective sigh of relief.

Sara was sobbing loudly and Neal wasn't much better, wiping his eyes and staring at the newcomer with a look of total wonderment.

'Here's your little boy' Gloria announced as she placed him on Hope's stomach. 'And he's a screamer.'

The look on Cam's face went from worry to awe and amazement as he leaned over to gently touch the baby's head.

'Oh, my God!' he said, between raspy gasps. 'Oh, my God!'

Hope was crying - from relief. 'I can't believe he's here' she sobbed, overcome with emotion.

'He's… perfect' Cam whispered as he brushed his lips against the top of Hope's head. 'Babe, you're amazing. Thank you… thank you.'

'You're a pro… it's like you've done this a hundred times before' Gloria declared as she glanced over at her partner who had that look in his eyes - that look one always got when they were privileged to witness the arrival of a new life for the very first time.

Gloria performed a cursory examination as the baby continued to cry loudly, declaring that the little guy had great lungs. She assisted Cam with cutting the umbilical cord and washed the baby once more, wrapping him in a clean towel and handing him back to the new parents, who were giddy with happiness.

Meanwhile, Neal and Sara were still standing there, in shock, unable to move from their spot.

Cam finally tore his eyes away from his newborn son and turned to look in their direction.

'Would you like to come and meet your grandson?' he asked, tears in his eyes.

They didn't need to be asked twice. Neal and Sara made their way over and kneeled down by the couple, their eyes riveted on the little guy whose face was red from crying; they turned their gaze to Hope and Cam who looked just as stunned but obviously relieved and happy beyond belief. Hope looked up at her husband who was still cradling her in his arms and smiled - a brilliant smile as he beamed back at the two of them.

'Mom, Dad' Hope said, her voice shaky. 'We'd like you to meet Jacob Neal Armstrong' she murmured as Neal let out a loud gasp.

'What?' he managed to say.

Cam looked over at his father-in-law, emotion rising in his chest as he took in the look of total amazement in the new grandfather's eyes. Up until this point, Neal had managed to keep his emotions in check but upon hearing that the baby would be wearing his name, he began to sob, Sara's arm around him, hugging him tightly.

'He's beautiful' she said, smiling down at her daughter. 'You did good, honey.'

Hope's face relaxed; finally, the ordeal was over and having her parents there to share the moment with her and Cam was a dream come true.

'I hate to break up this happy moment, but we should really get Hope and little Jacob over to the hospital to get checked out' Gloria announced.

'Can I come with her?' Cam asked, looking worried. After everything he'd done to get there, he was determined not to let his wife and his son out of his sight - at least not yet.

'Of course' Brian said as stood. 'I'll go get the gurney' he told his partner.

WCWCWC

'What do you suppose is going on over there?' Liam asked the group assembled around the table at Mel's Diner.

Following an SOS text from Liam, Cody had jumped in the car and driven over to join his boyfriend and Caitlin and Will had joined them after learning what had happened.

'I'm sure we'll hear as soon as the baby gets here' Elizabeth replied.

'I thought first babies always took forever to be born' Caitlin said.

Liam looked around guiltily. 'Hope was complaining about contractions when I picked her up earlier and she threw up after dinner but she didn't want me to say anything to Mom and Dad.'

'She is pretty pig-headed' Caitlin agreed.

'I should have said something anyway…' Liam mused as Cody wrapped his arm around him.

'Don't blame yourself' Mozzie said, just as he'd said before. 'Hope is a grown-up.'

'Anyway, she's in good hands now' El reminded everyone.

'Thank God Cam made it on time' Liam said.

'That's good' Will replied.

'Yeah, he came barrelling down the street with a police cruiser leading the way' Mozzie said with a smirk.

'He always _did_ like to make an entrance' Caitlin commented as everyone laughed.

Sonia, the waitress appeared with a large tray on the end of her arm.

'I hear you're all celebrating' she said as she put the platter down, revealing apple pie à la mode for everyone. 'Mel says these are on the house.'

WCWCWC

'You all right?' Gloria asked her partner after they'd finished dropping off Hope and Cam at White Plains General Hospital.

'Of course' the young man said, making light of the intense experience he'd just had.

'It's pretty incredible, isn't it?'

He shrugged but couldn't help but smile. 'Yeah… I suppose. You were wonderful, by the way.'

Now it was her turn to downplay her role. 'Oh, you know. It was pretty much a textbook case.'

'Still, holding that little guy… it was pretty amazing' Brian admitted.

Gloria Parker chuckled. 'You know, I just might make a daddy out of you!'

TBC


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

'He's here!' Liam announced to the rest of the group as he held the phone up to his ear.

There was a loud, collective cheer and the few remaining patrons glanced over towards the large group which, up to this point, had been sitting in the diner in relative silence, waiting for news.

Liam put his hand up in a request for quiet so he could hear what his mom was trying to say.

'Yeah… yeah…' he nodded with a huge grin. 'Okay. I'll let everybody know.'

All eyes were on the young man as he put down his phone to report the latest news on the blessed event.

'He was born about half an hour ago. Both he and Hope are fine but they're taking them to the hospital just to have them checked out. Mom says he's beautiful… he has dark hair like Hope's but not a whole lot of it and his name is Jacob.'

Elizabeth squeezed Peter's hand and wiped a tear with her other hand; their goddaughter was a mom!

'So, what are we waiting for?' Caitlin asked, instantly on her feet. 'Where are they taking her?'

'White Plains' Liam replied. 'But, wait a minute… Mom says we shouldn't all go marching down there tonight.'

'Seriously?' Caitlin declared, already halfway out the door.

'All right, all right. But let's not go charging in there like a bull in a china shop' Liam warned, totally on board with disobeying orders.

Despite Liam's admonition, the sound of a half-dozen chairs simultaneously scraping the floor was heard resonating in Mel's Diner and the members of the Caffrey clan got to their feet, eager to go welcome their newest member.

WCWCWC

'You all right?' Sara asked, glancing to her left and placing a hand on Neal's leg.

He'd been uncharacteristically quiet ever since they'd abruptly collected all their things and climbed into the car in hot pursuit of the ambulance in which their daughter, son-in-law and grandson were riding. In light of the extraordinary events of the last couple of hours, it appeared as if it was taking all of Neal's concentration just to keep the car on the road.

'Yeah…' Neal replied a little breathlessly.

He kept his eyes focussed ahead, secretly relieved they weren't going any further than White Plains General; he could still feel his hands shaking on the steering wheel.

'The kids were really excited' Sara commented. 'It'll be a miracle if they don't show up at the hospital.'

Neal laughed nervously. They had all been waiting for this baby for so long and he was finally here; it was no wonder everybody was so excited.

'How are _you_ doing, Grandma?' he asked with a grin, relaxing somewhat at the comforting sensation of her hand lingering on his thigh.

Just two days before, she would have cringed at the moniker but now that she'd set eyes on her beautiful grandson… well, there were worse things in life than being a grandmother.

'A little shaky but thrilled' she admitted. 'I was terrified the paramedics weren't going to get there in time.'

Neal nodded in agreement. 'And Cam… his timing was impeccable.'

'I still can't believe Hope didn't tell us she was in labour' Sara sighed.

'I don't think she realized it herself until it was too late. Everything happened so fast.'

'Liam was pretty upset. He says he caught her throwing up in the bathroom when he went inside to get her earlier' Sara said, shaking her head in disbelief. 'But you know Hope; she made him promise to keep his mouth shut, said she didn't want to disrupt the rehearsal.'

'Poor Liam, you'd think he'd know by now that he can never win an argument with his sister.'

'Did you remember to grab the garment bag by the front door?' Sara asked, suddenly worried they'd left something behind.

Elizabeth had made it clear they were _not_ to return to the house until Sunday and Sara knew better than to disregard the event planner's explicit instructions when she was in full panic mode.

'Yeah, it's in the back with our suitcases' Neal reassured her.

He glanced at his watch, cursing. 'Damn thing stopped again' he muttered as he gave it an impatient slap. 'What time is it, anyway?' he asked his wife.

'Just past 10:30' she replied.

It was still early but it felt as if they'd been up all night. 'Did we have a check-in time?' he asked, thinking ahead to their final destination for the night.

'No. El said the room was guaranteed' she said, glancing out the car window. 'You know, I kind of wish we were going back home to sleep.'

She was exhausted and even though she'd been looking forward to their luxury stay at the Four Seasons, suddenly, the thought of having to sleep in a strange bed seemed to have lost its appeal.

'Aww, come on, babe' Neal said, grabbing for her hand. 'Three nights in a five-star hotel. It's gonna be great, let's try to enjoy it.'

'You're right. I'm sure it's costing Peter and El an arm and a leg to put us up there' she nodded in agreement.

'$1,625 a night, give or take' Neal declared without hesitation.

'What?' Sara said, her gaze settling on her husband's face.

'I looked it up' he said with a shrug.

'Neal Caffrey! That is _so_ crass! It's a gift!' Sara declared. 'Anyway, I'm pretty sure El got some sort of discount. She knows the manager there.'

They sat quietly for a moment as the hospital appeared off in the distance.

'I don't know why but suddenly, I'm starved' Sara declared out of the blue.

'That's a good sign' Neal said. 'It's probably adrenaline, we'll get room service once we get to the hotel.'

He navigated to the parking lot and easily found a spot, considering the late hour.

'So, Grandma Sara' he said, turning to look at her. 'Are you ready to go see our beautiful baby boy?'

'Ready if you are, Grandpa Neal!'

WCWCWC

Despite Sara's admonition that they should wait until morning to meet little Jacob, the new grandparents were not entirely surprised to see the gang of six descend on the hospital's emergency room, chatting animatedly. Except for Mozzie, who had decided to pass in light of his aversion to hospitals, the excited group traipsed into the hospital's emergency room, chatting noisily.

They were all directed to a smaller waiting room and while they all waited impatiently for their chance to meet the newborn, Neal and Sara narrated the events of the past couple of hours, leaving out no small detail in the recounting of the tale. The excited grandparents filled everyone in on the harrowing moments before the EMTs arrived, how Cam had come riding in on his white horse at the last possible moment and how little Jacob had made his dramatic entrance as they'd all watched in awe. The recounting had everything going for it: drama, tension, excitement and best of all, a happy ending; it would surely become an integral part of Caffrey family folklore and be retold countless times in years to come.

Hope and Jacob were still being examined and after a seemingly interminable hour of waiting, visitors were finally allowed in, four at a time, for a brief visit.

First up, were Liam and Cody, accompanied by Caitlin and Will. Liam was relieved to see his sister, sitting up in bed, the look of pain and anguish which had been on her face earlier replaced by what could only be described as pure bliss. She held the tiny infant in her arms as Cameron sat, perched on the edge of the bed next to her, looking equally ecstatic.

In Liam's eyes, his new nephew seemed unbelievably tiny and fragile. At five pounds, eight ounces, he was slightly on the small side although he'd been declared perfectly healthy in every way.

'Liam!' Hope cried out when she saw her brother appear. He took a few steps, tentative at first as a smile finally appeared on his face - relief and joy at seeing his sister blissfully happy.

'Wow!' he declared, his eyes riveted on the newborn. 'You did it, sis.'

'Here he is, little Jacob… your godson' she replied with a relaxed smile.

'He's… so tiny' Liam said with wonder in his eyes.

Hope gazed down at her son. 'But he's tough, aren't you, little guy? Would you like to hold him?' she added, looking up at her brother.

Liam hesitated, unsure; he couldn't remember _ever_ holding a baby - except maybe for Beatrice and Chloe when they were little but he'd certainly never held a newborn baby in his arms.

'I… I don't want to hurt him' he stammered.

'You won't hurt him' Cameron said, expertly taking the infant from his mom's arms and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. 'Here, I'll show you.'

The new dad got to his feet and walked the few steps towards his brother-in-law, placing the newborn in Liam's arms.

'Just make sure to support his head' he instructed. 'Yeah, just like that.'

Liam let out a nervous laugh - an attempt at covering the emotions that were rising in his chest and Cody watched with interest as his six-foot-two boyfriend held the tiny baby as if it was the most precious thing in the world - which, of course, was exactly what he was.

The baby lay there, his body totally relaxed, bundled up tightly in a flannel blanket, snoozing peacefully as Liam watched in wonder.

'He's beautiful' Liam managed to say, his voice subdued.

Hope and Cameron looked on as did the rest of the group, Cody, Caitlin and Will gathering around to get a better look at the sleeping infant.

'He's perfect…' Caitlin whispered, placing her hand gently on the tiny baby's head.

Liam could no longer control his emotions and he made a most unusual sobbing sound as Cody brought his arm around him.

'Looking good there, Uncle Liam' he whispered in his boyfriend's ear.

'Uncle Liam…' Liam repeated, in a trance. 'That sounds weird.'

'Well, you better get used to it' Cameron said, taking the baby back and cradling him in his arms. 'You're going to be hearing it for the rest of your life.'

Hope tried to suppress a yawn - unsuccessfully - and she let her head fall back on the pillow; she was exhausted from her earlier ordeal and the group took the hint, realizing they should probably give the little family some time on their own. Besides, the older generation was waiting anxiously outside for their turn before everyone turned in for the night.

'When are they letting you go home?' Liam asked as they headed for the door.

'First thing in the morning' she replied with relief. 'We can't wait to start our new life, can we Cam?'

Cameron nodded and moved over to the bed, depositing the baby back in his mom's waiting arms.

'Is it okay if I come by… tomorrow?' Liam asked bashfully.

'One of the perks of being his godfather is that you can visit any time you want' Cameron replied as he walked them all to the door.

Within moments, Neal, Sara, Peter and Elizabeth appeared, tiptoeing into the room. It was eerily quiet and they could see the little family all curled up together on the hospital bed.

'Hi sweetie' Sara whispered as they stepped into the room.

'Mom! Dad!' Hope said in greeting, her voice shaky.

The new grandparents stepped in closer and Cameron got up to make room for them by the edge of the bed while Peter and Elizabeth stood nearby, mesmerized.

'Oh my God!' Sara murmured, her voice trembling. 'I think he's… he's gotten bigger already!'

Everyone laughed, in response to her comment. Actually, if anything, he looked even smaller now that he was all wrapped up in a blanket, his tiny legs and arms tucked in nice and tight against his warm body.

'He's not crying anymore…' Neal remarked.

'The nurse helped me feed him and afterwards, he fell asleep right away' Hope said, kissing the top of Jacob's head.

Sara was glowing with excitement and pride, her bottom lip quivering as she fought tears.

'Here, Mom' Hope said, holding the baby up towards her. 'You haven't had a chance to hold him yet.'

The tears Sara had been fighting started to flow and she took him from her daughter, cradling him against her chest as Neal came up behind her, wrapping his arms around them both.

'Oh, honey…' Sara said, words failing her.

'Did you hear?' she said, turning to Peter and Elizabeth. 'Hope and Cam have given him Neal's name as a middle name?'

'That's great!' Peter exclaimed.

Neal waited for the information to completely make it's way through his best friend's consciousness, waiting for the inevitable barb — which took but a few seconds.

'Wait a minute…' Peter said, as the little light went on. 'That means his name is… Jacob Neal Armstr—'

'Yes, Peter…' Neal said, cutting him off and giving him a look of pure annoyance. ' _That's_ what it means.'

Everybody else looked puzzled but just then, little Jacob let out a loud sigh and all eyes turned to look at him, once again.

'So, Liam says you're being released in the morning?' Elizabeth asked.

'Yeah, we're just going to sleep for a few hours and then we'll get to go home… and start our new life' Hope said dreamily.

'There is _one_ thing you can do for us' Cameron said, thinking ahead to the logistics of getting the baby home.

'Sure, name it' Neal replied.

'We weren't expecting to be going home with a baby and we don't have the car seat with us.'

'No problem. We'll stop by your place in the morning and pick it up, right Neal?' Sara offered as she handed the baby back to his daddy.

'Of course' Neal said. 'What time do you need us back here?'

'Nine?' Hope said tentatively, realizing it was going to be a short night.

'Perfect' Neal declared. 'We'll be here. No worries.'

He stepped in closer to the bed, leaning down to place a sweet kiss on his grandson's forehead and breathing in that amazing new baby smell before kissing his very tired looking daughter.

'He's beautiful, sweet pea' he said, his voice quiet, as if he were revealing a deep, dark secret.

'Congratulations Cam' he added, shaking his son-in-law's hand.

'Goodnight' Elizabeth whispered as the foursome made their way out, a look of relief and contentment on all their faces.

WCWCWC

'Wow! This is… amazing' Sara enthused upon entering their suite.

She'd been to plenty of posh hotels in her lifetime, mostly in her capacity as insurance investigator for Sterling Bosch, but hotel rooms had never been more than a place to fall into bed after a long day of work - not a place to play and relax. Now, she and Neal had two glorious days to enjoy the amenities: the spa, the pool, the gym, the restaurants.

Neal followed her into the room with their suitcases and set them down by the door, taking in the opulent suite, the bright lights of Manhattan shimmering right outside the ceiling-to-floor plate glass window. Elizabeth had spared no expense, getting them a suite up top the luxurious hotel, complete with an unparalleled panoramic view of the city.

'Very swanky' he agreed, taking the garment bag from Sara's arm and laying it on one of the suite's upscale couches.

'Too bad I'm too exhausted to enjoy it right now' she said, dragging herself over to the king-size bed and letting herself fall on top of the bedspread, shoes and all. 'I'm even too tired to eat.'

Neal lay down beside her, staring up at the ceiling. 'We've got two days to take advantage of this place. It'll still be here in the morning.'

'Like we're not going to want to spend every single moment at Hope and Cam's place, admiring that little baby' she said as he laughed.

'We can do both' Neal replied turning on his side towards her and running his hand through her hair.

'So, how does it feel to be a grandma?' he asked after a few moments of quiet.

'Okay, you know what, Caffrey? That was cute the first time but I swear to God if you don't stop calling me that…'

He laughed good heartedly; he loved teasing her and watching her react to his taunting. He kissed her in the hopes of silencing her, always a very winning move. He felt her body relax to his touch and she looked over at him, her face serene and her body, limp.

'I don't suppose I should fall asleep on top of the bedspread with my shoes still on my feet…' she whispered lethargically.

'Probably not…' he replied, not feeling much like moving, himself.

'All right!' he declared, finally jumping to his feet. 'Come on, Repo! Up!'

He slipped her shoes off her feet and threw them off to the side and took her hand to help her off the bed as she grumbled.

'Noooooo!'

'Afraid so' he insisted as he tugged gently.

She stood before him like an exhausted three-year-old, hands obstinately down by her side, refusing to cooperate and Neal walked around the bed, removing the bedspread and throwing back the covers while she remained motionless, eyes closed. He returned to stand in front of her and she raised her arms as he started to undress her like a child.

'Put your left arm down' he reminded her as she brought her arm to rest by her side, letting him work around it.

'What do you want to wear to bed?' he asked.

'Don't care…' she moaned, like a spoiled child.

'Fine, you can sleep in the nude' he declared as he took every stitch of clothes off her and guided her to her side of the bed, tucking her in and returning to tend to his own bedtime preparations.

He reached for his phone and set the alarm for 7:00 then got undressed and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, stopping to stare at himself in the mirror. He rubbed his hand over the scraggly beard he'd been growing for the past several weeks, taking stock of the situation. There was now officially more grey than anything else in those whiskers and he resolved to ask his wife if she wanted him bearded or beardless for their ceremony on Sunday. Turning off the lights, he climbed into bed in his boxers, immediately aware that Sara was already snoring lightly.

He settled in behind her and it took but a minute for him to join her.

WCWCWC

Liam and Cody sat in the car in front of the Caffrey house, seemingly too exhausted to move.

Cody's head lay on his boyfriend's shoulder, his arms around Liam's waist as the men talked softly, despite the late hour.

'Do you ever think about it?' Cody asked out of the blue.

'Think about what?'

'Having kids' Cody replied as if the question was as plain as the nose on his face.

'I don't know… maybe… someday' Liam replied.

There was an awkward silence before Liam continued. 'Why? Do you? Think about it?'

Cody let out a loud sigh. 'Not _all_ the time but… well, seeing you hold little Jacob like that… It kind of brought up these feelings I wasn't even aware I had.'

'Oh yeah?' Liam asked, placing a kiss on his boyfriend's forehead.

'Gay couples have kids all the time nowadays, you know' Cody said.

'I know' Liam replied. 'But it's a big decision.'

'You're right' Cody said with a smile as he willed himself to pull away from Liam. 'And not one we're going to be making tonight.'

Liam looked over at his boyfriend, the full moon shining into the car, illuminating his face. He brought his lips to brush against Cody's, feeling the warmth and softness he craved.

'You want to stay over tonight?' he whispered with a mischievous look in his eyes.

Cody stared back, uncertain.

Suddenly, it had become very important to Liam that he get to fall asleep in Cody's arms and even more so, that he get to wake up next to him.

'You know, my aunt Emily is arriving from Chicago tomorrow and she'll be staying here so… we won't have much privacy for a few days.'

The argument seemed to push Cody over the edge and he started the car again and pulled it into the driveway, alongside the Caffrey's second vehicle.

'When you put it that way…' he said with a soft smile.

The two men climbed out of the car and reached out for each other, clasping hands and making their way into the house.

WCWCWC

Sharing a narrow bed in a noisy hospital was a sure fire way of being deprived of sleep but despite the discomfort, Hope and Cameron had managed to get a couple of hours of sleep - that is, until the little guy in the bassinet next to them started shrieking at the top of his lungs. Hope woke, disoriented, feeling some residual aches and pains - which seemed to dissipate the moment she laid eyes on her newborn son.

Cameron was instantly on his feet, checking on him and Hope watched in quiet amazement as her husband lifted Jacob from the tiny bed and laid him gently on the small surface which doubled as a makeshift change table.

'Hey, little guy, what's up?' she heard him murmur as the baby's howling gently diminished. 'Do you need your diaper changed?'

She watched in wonder as her six-foot-four husband leaned down to check his son's diaper, lovingly touching his head and speaking gently as the baby quieted. Cameron Armstrong's gentle side wasn't a surprise - after all, he'd always been a gentle giant - but the contrast between the tall, lanky man and the tiny newborn was wonderfully peculiar to witness and Hope thought she would never tire of the sight of Cameron Armstrong with his son.

'Are you hungry again, little guy?' he asked.

Hope grimaced, suddenly aware of how painful her breasts were becoming. She touched them gingerly; they were swollen and sore and she realized she needed the baby to nurse - probably more than he did.

'Hey babe' Cam said, turning to face her with Jakey in his arms. 'I think he's hungry again.'

Hope gave him an exhausted smile. 'What time is it, anyway?'

'Just after seven' Cam replied, placing the baby in her arms. 'Did you get any sleep?'

'Some…' she replied, not much caring at this point; she was still riding that high.

He climbed up on the bed, sitting next to her and watched with wonder as she placed the baby on her breast, fiddling somewhat as he fussed in her arms. She positioned him as best she could with the limited experience she had and Cam brought his baby finger to rest against the baby's cheek, pushing gently to encourage him to start sucking - just as he'd learned to do in prenatal class.

'Come on, baby boy, come on' he coaxed as Jacob finally latched on and began to nurse, to Hope's relief.

She looked over at her wonderful husband; if there was ever any doubt he'd be an amazing dad, it had all but evaporated and she gave him a loving smile as she felt the pressure of the baby sucking happily on her engorged breast.

'Good job' Cameron said to the baby, caressing his hair.

'Did you reach your folks yet?' Hope asked.

'I wanted to give them a chance to get up first' he replied, checking the time. 'They were driving up Sunday for the wedding anyway… when they hear this, chances are they'll want to come down earlier.'

He settled back on the pillow, one eye on his wife and son as he dialled the phone and prepared to break the wonderful news to his family.

'Mom… hi, it's me' he said.

'We're good. Mom — we have a little surprise for you when you come down…'

WCWCWC

Friday morning, Neal was up bright and early, taking full advantage of the luxurious shower in the upscale bathroom. By the time he came back into the suite, towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his hair, Sara was sitting up in bed, checking out the hotel's numerous amenities.

'We _really_ need to get one of those rain shower heads' he commented as he stepped closer to the bed. 'They're amazing!'

'Take a look at this lap pool' she said, holding up a photograph for him to see.

'Mmmm, nice' Neal said, acquiescing. 'Where you thinking of going for a swim later?'

'Maybe…' she replied, looking up at Neal and batting her eyelashes. 'Do you think that's something you might want to do?'

'Yeah, I've got an errand to run first but it shouldn't take more than an hour or so' he said.

'An errand? Now, that sounds… mysterious.'

He leaned in to kiss her, dripping water on her as she frowned. 'In a couple of days, all will be revealed' he promised. 'If you want to wait until I get back, we can go for a swim together.'

'I've got a hair appointment at noon so that works out perfectly' she said, a smile appearing on her face. 'And that gives us time to spend a couple of hours with Hope this morning.'

'And little Jake…' Neal added with a goofy smile on his face at the thought of their beautiful grandson.

The next few days were going to be nothing short of magical, he reflected. Now that Jacob had arrived, their family was complete and, as if that wasn't enough, he was about to marry the woman of his dreams.

TBC


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

Hope, Cameron and little Jacob Armstrong were waiting on a bench by the front of the hospital when Neal and Sara drove up to deliver the car seat.

'Good morning you three!' Sara called out cheerfully as she stepped out of the car to join them.

Cameron was instantly on his feet, relieving his father-in-law of the cumbersome car seat while Sara joined her daughter and grandson, taking a seat beside them.

'Be back in a jiffy' Cameron said, kissing both his wife and son and disappearing to pick up the car in the nearby parking lot.

'Good morning, little man' Sara cooed as she leaned in to kiss the baby's covered head. He was wearing a little sleeper the hospital had provided for him and was wrapped up, nice and tight in a blue receiving blanket - perfect attire for a twelve-hour-old baby on an early summer morning.

'How are you feeling this morning, sweetheart?' Sara asked her daughter as she ran her hand through her matted hair.

'A little sore… and I can't wait to have a proper shower and do something with this hair' Hope admitted, her eyes returning to the sleeping infant. 'But you were right, Mom. Just looking at him… you forget all about what you had to go through to get him here.'

Neal came jogging up the sidewalk towards them, arriving slightly out of breath after having parked the car nearby.

'Hey!' he called out, taking a seat on the other side of his daughter and bringing his arm around her to give her a loving squeeze.

'Good morning, little man' he murmured, leaning in to kiss the baby.

Hope laughed and Neal looked at her with a frown. 'What?'

'That's what Mom just called him. What _are_ you two, Mutt and Jeff?' Hope teased.

Sara and Neal exchanged puzzled looks and shrugged; maybe, they'd been living together for so long, they were channeling each other.

'Did you ask her?' Neal asked, looking over at his wife.

'I've barely had time to say hello' Sara replied with a scowl.

'Ask me what? If you can come over to our place and visit for a bit?' Hope guessed; she knew her folks all too well.

'I love how you can read our minds' Neal said with an irrepressible grin, '…unless we're overstepping.'

'Of course not' Hope replied, leaning in towards her mom and lowering her voice. 'Maybe you can give me a hand with… you know' she said, her eyes moving to her breasts with a subtle head nod.

'Oh… yeah, sure' Sara said, nodding resolutely as she clued in to what her daughter was asking. 'Maybe Daddy and Cam would like to go for coffee… or something.'

Neal wasn't quite following the conversation but he could see this was one of those times he was supposed to agree with his wife and ask questions later.

'Sure… sure' he said, nodding. 'Whatever…'

WCWCWC

'Except maybe for Liam, I don't think I've ever seen anyone put away food quite like that' Neal commented as he watched his son-in-law scarf down a huge plate of bacon, eggs, toast, home fries and pancakes.

Cameron had been only too happy to agree to Neal's suggestion that they go out for breakfast and give the ladies a little time alone. He was starved and his head was still spinning from the events of the previous night.

'There's something about having a baby that makes you ravenous' he said with a straight face as he glanced over at his father-in-law.

Neal grinned. 'I guess it's all those contractions and… that pushing, that really took it out of you, huh?' he teased.

'You know what I mean, watching Hope like that… it was worse than having to go through it myself, it was like… sympathy labour or someting' he said, his mouth full.

'Actually, I do' Neal concurred. 'There's nothing worse than watching the woman you love in pain. It's… almost as if you can feel it yourself, isn't it?'

'Exactly!' Cam exclaimed as he stuffed a mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. 'People don't get it, do they Mr. Caffrey?'

Neal laughed; obviously his son-in-law was still on some adrenaline rush.

Cameron finally came up for air and looked up at Neal, his face suddenly serious. 'Can I ask you something?'

Neal waited for the inevitable question.

'Did you ever wonder… you know… if you were up to the challenge. I mean, of being a dad. Did you ever worry about maybe messing it up somehow?'

Neal laughed out loud at the irony of the question. 'Are you kidding? I still do… every day, even though Liam and Hope are all grown up. You never stop wondering about whether or not you're doing the right thing by your kids.'

Cam leaned in to listen; suddenly the food on his plate seemed to have lost its appeal.

Neal could sense the new dad needed reassurance; maybe the time had come to share the experience of his own first few hours as a first-time father. It was hardly a shining moment but maybe it could act as a cautionary tale and help Cam realize that he wasn't alone.

'I told you I was still in the system - at least technically - when Hope was born' Neal began, preparing to share a very personal story, of which he was none too proud. 'I was still working for the FBI as Peter's CI on the day she was born.'

Cameron nodded; he'd been given the broad strokes about Neal's life before he'd gone legit but he didn't know the details; all he knew was that his father-in-law had spent some time in prison for bond forgery and had worked for the FBI, purging the last four years of his sentence. Frankly, it made no difference to him; he looked up to Neal Caffrey for the way he conducted himself in business as in life and he couldn't help but admire him for his undying devotion to his family.

Neal's voice dropped to a mere whisper. 'On the morning after Hope was born, I went home for a few hours to change my clothes and have a nap. I dreamt that Hope was a teenager and had been arrested for theft and in my dream, Sara was yelling at me, telling me it was all my fault, that I'd been a bad influence on her…'

He stopped for a moment, searching the young man's eyes.

As far as Cam was concerned, Neal had always been the perfect dad. From the first day he'd met Hope, Cam had seen how much she respected and admired her father and he had nothing but good things to say about the man who had given him a job and taken him under his wing. He took a sip of coffee and leaned forward, listening intently as Neal continued.

'When I woke up, I totally freaked out. I started to wonder if the dream was some kind of omen, and in no time at all, I'd managed to convince myself that I'd be a bad influence on my newborn baby if I stayed in her life. I decided it would be better for Hope if she didn't have to put up with an ex-con for a father so… I took off. I drove out of state and hid out in one of Mozzie's safe houses. It was stupid, really… I knew the Marshalls would be on my tail in no time, considering I was being monitored' Neal continued with a sardonic laugh.

Now that he was recounting the story, he realized just how ridiculous it had been for him to think he could run off and leave his wife and daughter behind; guilt was a pretty powerful motivator. Cam listened, his mouth hanging open as he took in his father-in-law's impromptu confession.

'So, what happened?' he asked.

'Peter came after me… like he always does. He gave me a good talking to and finally knocked some sense into me. He told me that all that mattered was that I do my best for my little girl and he convinced me that, when the time came, Hope would see what was in my heart and not what I'd done in my past.'

'You're kidding!' Cam exclaimed. 'What did Mrs. Caffrey say?'

Neal chuckled and looked around the diner, leaning in with a whisper. 'Nothing that can be repeated in mixed company' he replied with a grin.

'But she forgave me… and she helped me realize that Hope wouldn't care about my past… just our future. Once Hope was old enough, I told her everything. I was a mess but she barely batted an eye and when she threw her little arms around my neck and hugged me… well, I knew everything would be all right.'

'Wow!' Cameron said.

'So, whatever it is you're imagining right now about falling short of the mark where Jacob is concerned… well, I've got you beat by a country mile and I'm pretty sure there's not a dad on the face of the earth who didn't have the same insecurities you're having right now.'

Cam let out a sigh and looked down at his food, pushing it around his plate absent-mindedly.

'It's such a… huge responsibility. He needs us for everything…' Cam stated.

'You just take things one day at a time, Cam. You're going to be a terrific dad. You know how I know?'

Cam's eyes narrowed and he shrugged.

'Because you're an amazing husband and you've always put Hope first. That's all you need to do with Jacob. Everything else will fall right into place.'

WCWCWC

'Mom, I'm worried things are going to change between me and Cam' Hope admitted.

'Of course they're going to change, honey. Now that you have this little guy, it'll never be the same again' Sara replied.

She could see the look of terror in her little girl's eyes. 'But that's a _good_ thing, because the love you have for each other, it'll just grow to include one more person' Sara added with a gentle smile.

'What if… we lose sight of each other?'

'Well, you have to work hard for that not to happen. After _you_ were born, your dad and I didn't really spend any time alone for about six weeks. You were so little and we didn't want to leave you but then, Uncle Peter and Aunt Elizabeth convinced us to take a night off, just the two of us. It turned out to be one of the best nights of our lives' Sara said, the memory still fresh in her mind.

Hope continued rocking the baby, her hand caressing his head. She couldn't imagine leaving him, even for a moment.

'You have to make time for each other, just the two of you. Believe me, there's no shortage of qualified babysitters around between me and your dad, your uncle Peter and aunt Elizabeth, Liam, Caitlin. People will be tripping over each other to babysit. My advice is let them, take a night off every week or so and go out and spend time with your husband, keep your relationship fresh.'

'But he's so little…' Hope whispered as she brought her lips to the baby's forehead.

'I'm not suggesting you should go out tonight' Sara chuckled as she brought her hand to rest on her daughter's back. 'You'll know when the time is right.'

Little Jacob fussed in his mom's arms, his tiny mouth making a sucking motion.

'Again!' Hope said, sounding discouraged.

'Every few hours…' Sara replied knowingly. 'The trick is to make sure he gets his fill, that way he'll sleep longer between feedings.'

'But he always gives up halfway through and falls asleep' Hope complained.

'Well, sometimes you have to work at keeping him awake. Daddy used to sing to keep you from falling asleep when you were nursing. Try lifting his head a little… that's it, just like that' Sara instructed as Jacob began to nurse.

Hope smiled fleetingly, immediately followed by a grimace.

'That can't be very comfortable' Sara said, pointing to the way Hope's bra had been bunched up so she could put the baby on her breast. 'Where's your nursing bra?'

'It's in my dresser… I haven't even had a chance to take it out' Hope said as the baby latched on firmly and sighed.

'Oh, I almost forgot' Sara said, reaching for her purse and taking out a jar of cream. 'I picked this up for you on the way over. It's great stuff, Daddy got me some when _you_ were born. Just don't wait for your nipples to get all dried and cracked before you start to use it.'

Hope looked over at Sara and grinned; she suddenly remembered why it had been so important for her to have her mom there when the baby was born.

WCWCWC

'Mr. Jennings, thank you so much for seeing me on such short notice' Neal said as the dapper jeweller appeared before him.

'It sounds like you've had a very eventful twenty-four hours' the man said, shaking Neal's outstretched hand. 'The least we can do is help you out with your little… dilemma.'

Neal had just forked over an impressive amount of money for Sara's wedding gift and he was preparing to drop another couple of hundred dollars to buy his daughter a special piece of jewelry, the least the man could do was try to help Neal out with just forty-eight hours to go before the wedding.

'Did you bring the ring with you?' he asked.

'Yes, of course' Neal replied, pulling the small box from his pocket.

Although it had been practically a certainty little Jacob would arrive in early July, he'd surprised them all by coming early and Neal was relieved he hadn't gone ahead and gotten a ruby to put in the family ring.

'We do have a number of stones available in the store; otherwise… well have to order what you want and it may take a few days' the man explained.

'What about June gemstones?' Neal asked.

'As you know, June is one of the few months that has two official birthstones, pearl and alexandrite.'

The man glanced down at the list of inventory in his hand. 'We have one of the stones on hand, the —' he began as Neal put up his hand to stop him.

'Please, don't tell me which one you have available… I'm a big believer in fate and I have a definite preference as to which one of the stones I want. I really want this done today but I don't want to be influenced by knowing which one of the two you have in stock.'

Neal had been researching the two stones and, although aesthetically, he favoured the pearl, he'd read that the multicoloured alexandrite was considered a good omen, said to promote spiritual growth by balancing mind and emotions and boosting self-esteem. It was considered the symbol of joy and good fortune — all the things he wanted for his new grandson.

He took a deep breath and took the plunge. 'I would like an alexandrite' he blurted out.

The man smiled back and Neal knew he was in luck. 'I have three available. I'll go get them' he said as Neal let out an audible sigh of relief.

Neal made his way to look at the display of earrings, spotting a beautiful pair of white gold hoops and he immediately knew Hope would love them. His daughter wasn't particularly big on jewelry but a nice pair of earrings that she could leave in and forget would be perfect for the busy new mom.

Mr. Jennings reappeared with a small velvet pouch and the two men settled at the jewelry counter as he pulled out three distinct gems for Neal to examine.

'May I?' Neal asked as he reached for the loupe on the counter in order to better study the three specimens.

One of them was too large for the setting and Neal put it aside without hesitation, reaching instead for the other two, smaller gems. He'd seen several alexandrite stones in his youth and knew that the value was increased the closer the colours were to pure green and red. The alexandrite had the distinction of changing colours and Neal proceeded to inspect the gem, holding it up against the light in order to better evaluate it.

'Would this one fit the setting?' he asked, handing one of the gems to the jeweller.

'You have excellent taste, Mr. Caffrey' the man said. 'With just a little work, we can set this stone into the existing ring without a problem… but I _will_ need until the end of the day to get it done.'

Neal thought ahead; he'd been looking forward to spending the rest of the day with Sara but there was always another way…

'Six o'clock?' he asked as the man nodded.

'Now, I was wondering about these earrings' Neal said, pointing to the nearby display.

WCWCWC

While Neal was busy blowing a significant amount of cash, Sara was back at the hotel, enjoying a little pampering in the hair salon. She needed a trim in preparation for the big day as well as a fresh coat of paint, considering the persistent grey peeking through her faded red locks.

'That one looks perfect' she said as she glanced down at the chart of hair colour choices and pointed to a medium auburn shade she knew from experience would complement her green eyes.

'Special occasion?' asked Sandy, the hair colour technician.

'I'm getting married Sunday' Sara said, without missing a beat. 'Well, re-married, actually. My husband and I are celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary by renewing our wedding vows.'

The young woman began to mix the hair colour, chatting away. 'Twenty-fifth? You don't look old enough to have been married twenty-five years.'

Sara pushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, revealing some grey that was well hidden underneath and she laughed. 'It's all subterfuge' she admitted.

'Renewing vows sounds really romantic' Sandy said. 'I'm getting married next month… right now, twenty-five years sounds like forever.'

Sara smiled wryly and the woman feared she might have offended her client. 'Sorry, no offence… it's just, right now it's hard to imagine being married for all that time although I hope to get there… someday.'

'Believe me' Sara said. 'It happens in the blink of an eye.'

'Do you and your husband have any children?' the woman asked.

'Yeah… two. And a brand new grandson.'

'You're kidding! How old?'

'Less than twenty-four hours' Sara replied with a dreamy smile.

'Really?'

'Born last night in our family room' Sara said, spinning the unlikely tale.

'That's incredible. What's the little guy's name?'

'Jacob' Sara said with pride as the woman continued to work at applying her hair colour.

'Do you have any pictures?' Sandy asked.

'Just this' Sara replied, reaching for her phone and holding up a picture of her and Neal with little Jake. 'My son-in-law took this picture this morning…'

'He's gorgeous' Sandy enthused. 'And the baby is cute too!' she added as the two women laughed out loud.

'I can see why you're marrying this guy' continued the chatty platinum blonde as she caught her breath. 'So, what are your plans while you're here at the hotel?'

'We thought we'd hit the spa and the pool, maybe have a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant tonight' Sara said.

'The food is amazing here, especially if you like seafood' Sandy commented. 'And the room service is outstanding if you prefer to eat in your room.'

'That's good to know' Sara replied.

The woman worked in silence for a few moments before piping up as a random thought seemed to cross her mind.

'You know, we do make-up here as well' she began. 'I would love it if you came in and let me do your face before your wedding.'

'Really?' Sara said.

'Yeah, what time is the ceremony?'

'Not until two o'clock' Sara responded.

'It's my day off on Sunday but it would be a pleasure it you let me do it. Tell me about your dress.'

Sara coughed, seemingly uncomfortable. 'It's… actually, I'm having doubts about my choice.'

'Why is that?' Sandy asked.

Sara nervously tugged on her shirt collar, exposing her new scar and the obvious lump on her breastbone as she examined the young woman's reaction in the mirror. She was surprised by her lack of response; instead, Sandy looked on, her face poised, and grabbed the top of her own sweater, pulling it down to reveal a similar, albeit healed, scar.

'Welcome to the club' the young woman said as Sara's jaw dropped.

'I was diagnosed with bradycardia three years ago; this thing saved my life. Personally, I wear it like a badge of honour' Sandy confided.

Sara felt a lump in her throat as she stared back at the young woman's reflection; she couldn't be much more than Hope's age and yet, she'd been burdened with the same diagnosis as a woman twice her age.

'Wow!' Sara managed to say once she got over the shock. 'How did you ever cope with that at such a young age?'

'The pacemaker is the reason I'm standing here' Sandy replied. 'What's there _not_ to like.'

An hour and a half later, Sara walked out of the salon, feeling like a million bucks and looking like it, too. Unbeknownst to her, the young woman she'd spent the last little while with watched her leave and dialled her phone, asking to be connected with the hotel restaurant.

'Kim? Hi, it's Sandy. There's a really nice couple coming in for dinner tonight' she said. 'Caffrey… and it's their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary so can you make sure they get special treatment? Thanks, I owe you one.'

WCWCWC

Neal stepped out into the sunshine, pleased as punch. He'd picked up some gorgeous earrings for his girl and a pair of platinum cufflinks with a matching tie bar for Liam to wear to the wedding. He walked with a spring in his step, reaching for his phone as he got to the car.

'Liam, it's me' he said as he walked. 'Listen buddy, I need a favour…'

WCWCWC

'Well, the guest room is all ready' Elizabeth declared as she let herself fall on the couch next to Peter.

'I can't wait to see Ken and Ginette' Peter admitted. 'It's been too long.'

He reached along the back of the couch with his arm, bringing it around his wife's shoulder and pulling her in against him.

'You look exhausted, honey' he commented.

'I am… but I'm having so much fun' she admitted. 'I still need to spend most of the day tomorrow at Neal and Sara's supervising things. Are you going to be okay to pick them up at the train station?'

'Of course' Peter replied. He got a naughty look in his eyes. 'I wonder how Neal and Sara are getting along at the hotel?' he said, wagging his eyebrows.

'At this hour, they're probably out having a nice dinner' El replied, glancing at her watch.

'Neal's going to freak out when we roast him tomorrow night' Peter added with a gleam in his eye.

'Well, don't forget… you don't want to go too far back with your stories. Some of the guys who are going to be there don't know how you and Neal first met - and I'm sure Neal would rather keep it that way. Isn't Cam's dad going to be there?'

'Don't worry El, I'll keep it generic… but, there's _sooo_ much to tease him about' Peter said as he grabbed for some papers on the nearby table and rubbed his hands together gleefully.

'Oh, I added this part here' he said excitedly as Elizabeth rolled her eyes; he'd only read her his little speech about a dozen times.

'Listen to this, honey…'

WCWCWC

'You've been holding out on me' Neal declared as he looked across the table at his wife.

She was wearing a pretty silk dress in a warm shade of taupe, hugging her curves in all the right places yet with a high neckline, discretely covering her breastbone. He'd never seen the dress before… and Neal prided himself on knowing every single stitch of clothes his wife owned.

'Gotta keep the mystery going if I'm going to keep you interested for the _next_ twenty-five years' she said with a warm smile.

'Oh, I'm interested…' Neal replied, his voice rough as he reached out to take her hand.

Sara seemed distracted and she glanced down at her watch. 'Emily landed just a few minutes ago' she commented.

'Honey, don't worry, I made Liam promise to give her the VIP treatment' Neal replied.

'I know, I'm just… looking forward to seeing her again.'

'She'll probably hightail over to Hope and Cam's first chance she gets' Neal chuckled.

'Probably… anyway, I'll see her tomorrow night' Sara mused. 'Have you heard from Scott yet?'

'Yeah, he called while you were in the shower. He said they made it safely and they're staying at the Travel Inn over on 42nd. Said the girls were really excited about visiting the Empire State Building tomorrow.'

'You know, I don't think I've ever met the twins' Sara reflected.

'Sure you did, they were just a few months old, remember? We stopped in on our way to Bangor a few years back' Neal reminded her.

'Oh, yeah, they were wearing those matching little outfits and Moira was ripping her hair out having to deal with four kids under eight years old' Sara laughed.

'All these people… coming together just for us' Neal mused as he took a sip of sparkling water. 'We better make it worth their while.'

'I think if El has anything to say about it, it's going to be an amazing party' Sara replied.

'Oh, by the way' she added, her face growing sombre. 'Lydia texted me earlier. Iris Hastings passed away this afternoon.'

'You're kidding' Neal said wistfully. 'What a sad, sad story. She spent the last few years of her life being miserable, trying to chase a ghost and… what did it get her?'

'Well, something good seems to have come from it. Apparently, Mr. Bosch is insisting Rebecca come and stay with him and his family.'

'Wow… who knew. Babe, we should send flowers. I'll call and order some in the morning' Neal said, soberly.

They were interrupted by a very formal looking waiter, standing there with a towel on his arm.

'Have we made a decision, sir?' he asked, addressing Neal.

Neal looked back at the waiter and glanced at Sara, suddenly feeling mischievous. 'Yes' he said, straight faced. 'I've decided to keep her.'

TBC


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

Neal started to run a bath for his wife, glancing around the luxurious bathroom and spotting a bottle of lush lavender bubblebath, sitting on the marble counter. He sniffed in appreciation and proceeded to pour a healthy dollop into the deep porcelain tub while continuing to poke around the upscale bathroom, admiring all the high end touches. Despite the intervening years and the fact that he and Sara had lived a rather modest life in the suburbs for most of their married life, he'd never lost his appreciation for the finer things in life.

The soft murmur of Sara's voice came floating in from the other room as she talked on the phone; probably calling home to check on the kids or talking to Hope - for the third time today.

Neal stood in front of the large mirror, checking himself out and noting with dismay that he was looking pretty grizzled… and that scraggly beard wasn't helping at all. He turned sideways, examining his profile; not bad for a sixty-one-year-old, he thought as he puffed up his chest and pulled in his gut. He began to undress, taking off his shirt and running his hand across his stomach, lingering on the faded scar that was a constant reminder of one of the worst episodes of his life. He reached down and unbuckled his pants, letting them drop to the floor as he checked himself out in nothing but his silk boxers. Those regular sessions at the gym seemed to be paying off and helping mitigate some of the inevitable damage time inflicted on men his age. Neal smiled smugly at his reflection as Sara appeared, unannounced, snapping him out of his reverie.

'Hey' she called out, stepping into the room in her bra and undies.

She glanced over at the tub, brimming with bubbles. 'Thanks, honey.'

'Everything okay at home?' he asked as he continued undressing.

'Yeah, apparently, it's nuts over there. People coming in and out constantly… Liam says El's already had two major meltdowns and it's only Friday night' she reported as she stepped out of her underwear.

Neal turned to stand behind her and unclasped her bra, letting his lips linger on her shoulder for a brief instant. 'It's just as well we're not there to witness the craziness' he commented, returning to examine himself in the mirror.

Sara reached for a clip and put up her hair; she stepped over the edge of the tub, her toes testing the water as she sighed with pleasure.

'Perfect!' she cooed as she let her body settle in the mountain of fragrant bubbles. 'You sure you don't want to join me? There's plenty of room in here.'

'I want to use that shower head again' Neal said, like a little kid who'd just gotten a new toy. He stepped out of his underwear and reached over to turn on the water in the large walk-in shower.

Within seconds, the room began to steam up and Sara watched with interest as her husband stepped in behind the glass, his body immediately relaxing under the blissful spray.

'Awwww…' she heard him moan. 'That's it! We're getting one of these for our bathroom.'

Sara felt her body relax, her eyes roaming over Neal's body as he lathered up. He looked hot, _really_ hot and she got a sudden flutter in the pit of her stomach at the sight of him, covered in soapy suds. His body was still really buff - a result of a lot of work on his part and she, for one, appreciated the efforts he made to remain fit and healthy and… hot. Her mind began to wander to some of the things she'd like to do to him when she finally got her greedy little hands on that bubble butt of his and she sighed happily as her hand began to linger across her chest, catching one of her nipples between her fingers and giving it a tug and a squeeze.

They'd been rather restrained in the bedroom lately - having agreed to wait until their 'wedding night' to return to more extensive extracurricular activities, hence giving Sara time to fully heal. She remained a little apprehensive about taking the plunge, aware that she needed to avoid any excessive pressure on her chest and she'd found herself fantasizing about a couple of choice positions that would allow them to fully enjoy each other without putting her precarious situation at risk.

She was distracted from her fantasies by the sound of Neal humming as he rinsed off and she let out a soft moan; Neal was never sexier than when he was totally oblivious to his appeal and Sara smiled lewdly, observing as her husband stood under the spray, his mind apparently not dwelling in the same gutter hers seemed to have wandered into.

He stepped out, giving her an innocent smile and she studied him as he stood there, dripping wet and reached over for a plush towel on the nearby towel rack. He turned his back to her and she took advantage of the unguarded moment to scrutinize his gorgeous butt, still perfectly round and surprisingly perky and she sighed, bringing her hand down between her legs under the cover of the bubbles. She must have had a mischievous look on her face because Neal seemed to pick up on something as he stared back at her in the bathroom mirror.

'What are you doing under there, you naughty girl' he asked as he came closer and perched himself on the edge of the tub.

'Nothing…' she lied as if she'd been caught doing something forbidden. 'Just… admiring the view.'

'Oh yeah?' he said, his voice rough. 'The view, huh?'

He leaned down and placed a soft, sensuous kiss on her lips and he heard her moan, noticing her hand hadn't yet resurfaced from under the bubbles.

'You keep doing _that_ and I might have to rethink our little… arrangement' he murmured lustfully.

'You mean holding off until our 'wedding night'?' she asked, obviously tempted to stray from their self-imposed hiatus.

'I thought that's what you wanted' he said, his eyes narrowing.

She shrugged and leaned over to kiss him again, long and languorous.

'Tell you what…' Neal whispered, his voice dropping seductively. 'Tomorrow is our _official_ anniversary. Why don't you and I have a little celebration when we get back here after the party instead of waiting until Sunday when we get home - you know, all those prying ears… I know how much you like to make noise' he added, eyebrow raised suggestively.

'Tomorrow night, huh?' Sara repeated, mulling over his suggestion. 'A celebration?'

'Uh, huh, a _private_ celebration' he murmured, lips lingering on hers. 'In the meantime, you can… you know, continue to enjoy the view.'

Sara laughed out loud and brought her arms up around his neck, tugging on his hair - her way of letting him know she thought he was overdue for a haircut.

'Deal' she whispered in his ear, her hand almost immediately returning below the surface of the water.

He gave her an impish grin that could have melted an iceberg and stood, facing the mirror as he began to examine his reflection.

'I thought I'd get a trim tomorrow' he said, running a hand over his unkempt beard. 'So, what's your preference? With or without the beard for the wedding' he asked.

'You want _me_ to decide?' she replied playfully.

Frankly, she preferred him with just a day's growth, nothing more, nothing less and he knew it all too well. The beard had been _his_ idea, a way of cutting loose from the humdrum routine now that the summer months were here.

'Yeah…' he said, pulling out the electric razor he'd packed and holding it up in her direction. 'What do you say?'

'Without' she replied, her voice growing rough. 'Shave it clean… but then, don't shave again until after the wedding.'

'Okay' he said with a chuckle, amused by the specificity of her request.

'So, what did Hope have to say?' Neal asked as he got down to the business of shaving.

Sara sighed huskily and began to fidget in the tub, leaving no doubt as to what she was up to; after all, discretion wasn't her strong suit.

'She says Jake had a great day and Cam's parents drove down this afternoon and brought them Indian food for dinner' she said languidly.

'Nice…' Neal replied as he worked away, glancing in the mirror at her reflection and noticing her beginning to squirm under the water's surface. He was having way too much fun watching her and he kept talking, egging her on. 'Do you think she'll be up to going to your bachelorette party tomorrow night?'

'She says she really wants to… at least for a while' Sara replied, her mind only halfway invested in their conversation.

'By the way' Neal continued. 'I picked up a little something for the kids today… you know to thank them for everything they've done for the wedding. I was in Midtown and I walked past a jewelry store and saw a pair of earrings Hope might like. And I picked up a really nice set of cufflinks and a tie bar for Liam to wear on Sunday.'

'Neal, we already have a thank you gift for them' Sara said, her head falling back against the deep tub and her eyes fluttering shut as she tugged on her nipple. 'You really need to stop spoiling them.'

'I just felt like being a little… reckless' he admitted as Sara let out an unexpected moan.

Neal grinned at the sight of her grinding more insistently - she was about as subtle as a freight train.

'Oh, and don't forget we have a couple of errands to run tomorrow' he continued, amused. 'We need to pick up Bibi's present… and we have that massage at 2:00.'

'Uh huh' Sara said, increasingly distracted, the water swishing around her as her hand continued moving under the surface.

Neal studied himself in the mirror, trying to concentrate as he shaved that sensitive spot under his chin. 'So, we've got Mozzie's present, El's present, something for Bibi, the kids… Elizabeth is taking care of the gifts for our guests' he recapped, going over their list of thank you gifts.

'I keep thinking we're f-forgetting something' Sara said with a slight hitch in her voice.

She brought her leg up over the edge of the tub and let it hang there enticingly in an obvious attempt at getting her husband's attention. Neal pretended not to notice and she frowned, pulling her leg back in under the warm water.

'It's fine, stop worrying' he replied, glancing at himself in the mirror: the new clean shaven version of himself, that is. 'By the way, I heard Caitlin and El talking about some buff guys serving the food at your party tomorrow night.'

'Really? Like strippers?' Sara asked, suddenly more interested in what he had to say.

'No!' Neal said, seemingly offended. 'Not strippers! What? You want strippers?'

'Well, I don't seem to be getting any at home lately' she muttered as Neal shook his head and rolled his eyes.

'You get _plenty_ , lady' he replied, hamming it up. 'Don't you worry, I'll more than make up for it tomorrow night… if you can manage to keep it in your pants until then - which, apparently, is a struggle for you.'

Sara chuckled at his bawdy comment and returned her attention to her increasingly pressing need, the water sloshing around the tub as she let out a deep groan.

Neal turned to look at his wife, showing off his clean shaven look. 'So, you like?' he asked.

'I like…' she replied with a lewd grin. 'Now would you please get your ass over here and do something about keeping me happy until tomorrow night.'

Neal was instantly on his knees by the tub; never let it be said that Neal Caffrey didn't see to his wife's… hum… needs.

'Pushy, pushy' he murmured, his voice raspy as he let his hand slide under the bubbles.

WCWCWC

Bonnie Armstrong stepped out of the tiny kitchen and into the living room just as her son was coming out of the bedroom carrying his newborn baby in his arms.

'All tidied up' she commented, a tea towel still hanging off her shoulder.

'Thanks Mom' Cam said quietly as he took a seat on the nearby armchair. 'Where did Dad go?'

'He went to get the car. Did Hope fall asleep?' she asked.

It was only 8:30 but she'd noticed that her daughter-in-law had been having trouble keeping her eyes open during dinner; not surprising, considering she'd given birth less than twenty-four hours earlier.

'She fell asleep while he was still nursing' Cam replied with a smile.

'Well, she had an eventful night last night. I'm sure she's just happy to be back in her own bed.'

Bonnie made her way to sit on the arm of the chair alongside her son, gazing down at her new grandson.

'You did a great job, honey. He's beautiful!' she exclaimed as she brought her hand to rest on her son's back.

Cam looked up at her, the tiny woman who'd given birth to him and his siblings. 'I can't believe you and Dad did this six times.'

Bonnie chuckled softly. 'And it was special every single time' she said. 'But you were our first and I remember Dad sitting in a chair just like this, staring down at you for hours at a time.'

They stared in silence for a moment and Bonnie brought her finger to gently touch the baby's chin. 'See that little dimple there? Grampa Calvin had a little dimple like that' she commented with a knowing smile.

'Oh, yeah? I don't remember' Cam replied.

Bonnie got to her feet and grabbed for her purse, taking out her phone. 'The kids have been bugging me for a picture all day' she said as she pointed the camera in his direction.

As the eldest of six, Cameron had been the first: the first to leave home, the first to go to university, the first to get married and now the first to become a dad. His five siblings all still lived at home, in a small rural community just outside of Watertown, New York and they all looked up to their big brother.

Cam looked over at his mom and smiled as Bonnie took a couple of pictures, Jacob sound asleep in his arms.

'Well, I better get downstairs. Dad got us a room at the Best Western and he'll be wondering what's taking me so long' she said, reaching for her jacket and purse.

'Don't get up, don't get up' she murmured as she came closer and placed a kiss first on the baby's head then on Cameron's forehead.

'I'm proud of you, Cammie' she whispered. 'I'll call you tomorrow.'

WCWCWC

'No, no! That's all wrong!' Elizabeth shouted at the three hired hands who were setting up the large gazebo. 'It's supposed to go over there' she pointed frantically.

'Aunt Elizabeth?' Liam said, afraid he was about to suffer the same fate. 'Where do you want this popcorn machine?'

He stood there with Cody, holding an old fashioned four-foot-high contraption, complete with a set of wheels.

'Right over here, honey' she said, reverting to her old sweet self.

'Oh, and the caterer just got here' Liam called out, over his shoulder.

Elizabeth made her way inside, finding Emily Ellis-Foster chatting with a handsome young man, carrying a clipboard.

'Stéphane, you're here!' El declared as she made her way over, kissing him on both cheeks.

'Of course, Élizabeth' he said with a heavy French accent. 'I was just talking to this lovely lady, the sister of the bride, I believe.'

Emily smiled back at the young man - a fine specimen if ever she'd seen one.

'I'm so glad you're here. I wanted to go over the layout for the food' El began, taking his arm and leading him out to the backyard.

Just as the patio door closed behind them, the front door flew open and in waltzed Caitlin, carrying a small box in her hand.

'I got it' she declared, putting it down with the rest of the boxes on the kitchen table.

'Let's see' Emily said, leaning in to get a better look.

The small box was opened to reveal the last of the beautiful garden stones, the one with baby Jacob's name engraved alongside a rocking horse.

'So cute!' Emily enthused, cradling the smooth stone against her chest. 'Neal and Sara are going to love these.'

'So how's it going around here?' Caitlin asked as the two women continued unpacking the boxes, one by one and laying the contents on the table.

Emily looked over towards the backyard where Elizabeth could be seen gesticulating wildly. 'She's going to lose it, mark my words' she warned.

'She already did… twice yesterday and again this morning' the young woman replied. 'Do you want to give me a hand with putting these down?'

'Sure. You know, this is such a great idea. This way, Neal and Sara will be able to enjoy these all year round.'

Liam and Cody returned from the yard and began looking around the kitchen at the various, sundry items littered around the room - a couple of large baskets with blankets, a candy floss machine and several boxes of tiles, waiting to be turned into a dance floor.

'What's next?' Cody asked, looking around at the mess.

'I think we should start putting up the fairy lights. Aunt Elizabeth left a chart somewhere of exactly where she wants them' Liam said, poking around.

The doorbell rang and Raffie let out a bark, following Liam to the front door to see what all the commotion was about.

Two men stood there in work clothes, holding a large trellis covered in ivy between them. 'We're delivering some tables and chairs' one of them said, pointing to a large truck parked in front of the house.

'Aunt Elizabeth!' Liam cried out.

WCWCWC

The atmosphere in the hotel spa was beyond zen; the new age music and dim lighting contributing to the surreal atmosphere of the small, intimate room. Neal and Sara lay side by side, their bodies giving in to the magic fingers working the kinks out of their grateful bodies.

Both Neal and Sara had always had a distinct hedonistic side. Back in the day, Neal had lived to indulge his every whim; that, coupled with his impulsive nature had gotten him into a heap of trouble more times than he cared to remember. Of course, having children had changed all that as had the fact that he no longer had unlimited wealth to indulge his every desire. And Sara… well, before the kids, she'd had but herself to think of. Although she'd worked hard back then, she'd also played hard and she had never thought twice about treating herself to another pair of Louboutins or the best bottle of Courvoisier money could buy.

Nowadays, they rarely indulged in these kinds of luxuries, especially when it came to doing things together. They both lived busy lives with high stress jobs and parental responsibilities; having a couples massage was a rare treat and they had been looking forward to their joint outing for days.

Although it had been her idea to begin with, Neal had picked up a certain hesitation on Sara's part as the day progressed. They'd run a few errands and had dropped in to a trendy café for a late brunch, enjoying the freedom of doing as they pleased for a change. They had toyed with the idea of popping in to visit the new baby but had thought better of it; after all, Bonnie and Fred Armstrong were in town and they had just as much right to spend time with their grandson as the Caffreys did. Living in the same city as your kids afforded Neal and Sara the distinct advantage of visiting whenever they wanted and besides, Hope and Cam were entitled to some privacy and bonding time with little Jake.

As the 2:00 appointment at the spa drew near, Neal couldn't help but notice how quiet Sara had become although she'd denied feeling anything but thrilled to be there. He'd listened as Sara had explained her situation to the masseuse, asking that the young woman not knead the area near her left chest and both Caffreys had settled in for a nice relaxing hour of pure bliss. Things had been going swimmingly and Neal was practically comatose when he heard the young masseuse's voice ring out, addressing his wife.

'Is anything wrong, Mrs. Caffrey?' she asked as Sara flinched.

Sara lifted her head to look up at the young woman; she was massaging a little too close to where Sara felt vulnerable and in two seconds flat, Sara had felt her body go from totally relaxed to completely rigid and tense. Neal glanced over and gave his wife a worried glance; seeing Sara holding back suddenly detracted from any enjoyment he'd been having.

'You okay, babe?' he asked, concerned.

'Yeah, I'm fine' she mumbled, turning over onto her back. 'Maybe just not on the left side' she said, speaking to the masseuse.

'Sure' the woman said. 'I'll be more… gentle.'

Sara had always enjoyed a nice, vigorous massage to help her relax, a good workout to leave her feeling totally boneless and now, with this goddam thing in her chest, she felt like she was doomed to have to settle for less.

Neal turned over onto his back, adjusting the towel that was covering his midriff and he reached out for her hand as Sara ignored him.

'I'm fine' she repeated, annoyance seeping in her voice. 'Just… enjoy, okay?'

'What about if we concentrate on your face?' the massage therapist suggested. 'I can also give you a facial, if you'd like.'

Neal listened to the exchange, eyes closed; if he made a fuss, Sara would just get more upset - better to stay out of it altogether.

'That sounds good' Sara replied and despite her words, the tone of her voice sounded hollow and resigned to Neal's ears.

He cracked open an eye, hoping to assess the situation. It would take a while to get all those firsts out of the way: first massage, first time through the metal detector at the airport, first time at the gym, first time dancing, first time having sex. He needed to be patient with her. Despite her unflappable exterior, he knew his wife was mortified and the best he could do was be there for her — even if it meant taking a bit of flack from time to time.

The room grew quiet as the two masseuse worked in silence and Neal had just started to relax again when he heard a soft, all too familiar sound.

'Sara?' he called out, glancing in her direction.

'I think she fell asleep' the masseuse replied with a grin.

Neal chuckled and closed his eyes, relieved that she'd been able to relax enough to fall asleep; on the other hand, she'd be horrified to know she'd been snoring - something he decided he'd better keep to himself.

He thought ahead to his bachelor party. Despite what he suspected would be endless teasing, he was looking forward to seeing all the men who would be present: Ken Murphy whom he hadn't seen for a while, Fred Armstrong whom he hadn't talked to since Hope's wedding, Mike Miller, Jeff Mason, Sam Jordan, Scott Rivers and of course, Clinton, Mozzie, Peter, Cam, Liam, Will and Cody.

He had a few surprises up his sleeve for when he and Sara got back to the hotel and he hoped she would be in the mood to properly celebrate their anniversary.

He heard a loud snort and Sara came to, looking around the room as she got her bearings.

She glanced at Neal and frowned. 'I think you were snoring' she told him as he nodded.

Good husband.

WCWCWC

Back at the Caffrey house, the chaos had grown tenfold as workmen, delivery men and family and friends worked at a frenzied pace to get the place looking just right for the wedding. It was so noisy that nobody heard the doorbell ring and suddenly Will appeared in the back yard, standing there with Raffie by his side and looking like he'd been kicked in the teeth.

Liam was the first to notice him and he looked over at him with a frown. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

Will stared back at his best friend, his face bleak. 'My dad kicked me out of the house.'

TBC


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

Will Allenby sat at the Caffrey kitchen table, surrounded by the younger generation, Caitlin and Liam, flanking him on either side. He was still in shock, as evidenced by the way his hands shook and the sound of his faltering voice as he spoke.

'I thought you were going to wait to tell him' Caitlin said, hand gently rubbing his back.

'I was… but the university sent over some information on their pre-med program and my dad found it… I didn't want to lie to him anymore.'

'Well, what did he say… exactly?' Liam asked, leaning forward to get a better look at his best friend's eyes. 'Did he actually tell you to get out?'

'He was… livid. My mom wasn't home and he just… he started screaming that I was an ungrateful son of a bitch and that he couldn't believe I'd do something like this after everything he's done for me' Will said, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

'Then, he just said I had to make a choice… if I wanted to keep living under his roof, I needed to… let go of this crazy idea, as he put it. When I told him I'd made up my mind and had already changed my major… well, he just went nuts… I thought he was going to hit me —'

'Did he?' Caitlin interrupted, her eyes narrowing.

Will shook his head. 'N-no, he… threw one of my mom's vases against the wall… and that's when I decided it was safer if I just left and I… well, I just hightailed it over here.'

Caitlin and Liam looked at each other, the same look of worry apparent in their eyes.

'Maybe he'll calm down and come to his senses' Cody said as both Liam and Caitlin turned to look at him.

'You don't know him, Cody. He is _not_ going to change his mind' Liam replied, his attention returning to his best friend.

Caitlin stood and went to the refrigerator. She poured Will a glass of juice and brought it over, placing it in front of him. 'Here, have a few sips of juice. It'll make you feel better.'

Will smiled at her; despite the dire circumstances, he was relieved to be surrounded by friends who cared about him.

'Look, first things first. Let me talk to my dad; I'm sure my folks will be more than happy to have you stay here until we can sort something out' Liam offered as everyone nodded in agreement.

'But… you've got a full house. Isn't your aunt Emily staying here… and you told me you changed Hope's old room into a nursery…' Will said, his voice shaky.

'Don't worry about that' Liam repeated. 'If we have to, we'll bring up an air mattress from the basement and you can sleep on the floor in my room until we figure out something more permanent.'

Will let out an uneven breath. 'I'm sorry' he muttered. 'I know my timing couldn't be worse with your parents' wedding tomorrow and all.'

'It's okay, don't worry about it' Caitlin said bringing her arm around his shoulders and placing a kiss on his cheek in an effort to comfort him. 'We'll work it out, you'll see.'

She couldn't help but feel at least partially responsible for what had happened; after all, she'd been the one to suggest he look into making this life-altering change in the first place. Whether Will blamed her for what had happened was unclear but she hoped this wouldn't come between them at a time when they were getting closer than ever — and when he needed her the most.

Will glanced around the table at all the concerned faces, strangely comforted by their presence. 'Thanks guys. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have all of you' he said, his voice strangled with emotion.

'It's all good' Liam said, giving him a reassuring pat on the back.

WCWCWC

Neal stepped off the elevator, looking dapper in a pair of faded blue jeans and an open collared pale blue shirt. Peter had told him to dress casual but Neal hadn't been able to resist stuffing one of his favourite ties in his back pocket - just in case. He had no idea what was in store for him but he wouldn't put anything past Peter and Liam, the main architects of his little soirée.

He glanced furtively around the lobby, making sure Peter hadn't arrived to whisk him away and he made his way to the concierge's desk, dawdling as he waited for the young man to finish talking to the older guest who stood before him.

'Mr. Caffrey!' the young man said, turning his attention to Neal.

'Maurizio…' Neal replied with a wide grin. 'Just checking in to make sure we're all set for tonight.'

Neal took out a sheet of paper from his back jeans pocket and laid it out in front of the young concierge, pointing to the long list of instructions he'd fastidiously written out in his tidy handwriting.

'I jotted everything down for you, just in case' Neal said earnestly.

The young man smiled indulgently. 'But, Mr. Caffrey, you already _gave_ me a list, remember?' he said, patting the leather folder that never left his side. 'I've got everything right here. Plus…' he reminded Neal '…you sent me an email with all the instructions as well.'

Neal smiled and shrugged demurely. He hated relinquishing control of any 'operation', especially one as important and special as this; as far as he was concerned, one could never be _over_ prepared. He wanted the end of the evening to be magical for Sara; she'd been through an awful lot over the last little while and he wanted her to know just how important she was to him - especially on the day that held such special significance for the two of them.

He took out his wallet and pulled out a $50 bill, handing it over to the young man.

'Better safe than sorry' he said with his patented Caffrey grin. 'And don't forget, everything has to be ready by 11:00 at the very latest.'

'Duly noted' the young concierge replied, taking the money and tucking it into his vest pocket.

'But not _too_ early' Neal continued, micromanaging as usual. 'Don't want the bath water to turn cold.'

'No danger of that, sir; I'll make sure the heater is set at exactly 112 degrees…' the young man reassured him '… as per your… explicit instructions.'

'Perfect! Thanks Maurizio' Neal said, seemingly reassured.

'No, thank _you_ sir' he replied with a grin.

WCWCWC

'Are you sure you want to go to Mr. C's bachelor party tonight?' Caitlin asked as she and Will zigzagged the neighbourhood with Raffie in tow. 'I'm sure he'd understand if you didn't feel up to it.'

'No, no. I _want_ to go' Will replied without hesitation. 'I need to do normal stuff, you know… it helps to keep my mind occupied.'

Caitlin stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of the busy sidewalk and turned to look at her boyfriend, her face riddled with guilt.

'I can't help feeling this is all my fault… for encouraging you to go for career counselling in the first place' she admitted sheepishly.

'No! No! Don't… don't feel like that' Will said, stopping to face her. Raffie looked up at the two of them, wondering why his walk was being so rudely interrupted and he let out a soft whimper, hoping to capture their attention.

'Even if I'd known it was going to turn out this way, I still would have done it' Will said, touching Caitlin's hair. 'This is the best thing that could have ever happened to me.'

Caitlin studied his eyes as he took a deep breath and continued. 'Do you know how long it's been since I've been this excited about anything?'

'I'm guessing… two years' Caitlin ventured. They didn't talk much about his breakup with Josie but she knew it had been a turning point for him in more ways than one.

He smiled gently. 'Yeah, about two years' he repeated. 'When Josie and I broke up, it threw me for a loop and I just stopped believing in myself. It was just easier to go with the flow and let others dictate what I should be doing. But since… since you came along…'

He hesitated, not wanting to sound overly dramatic. 'I know this is going to sound corny but… I feel alive again and I feel like I'm in control of my own destiny for the first time in a long time. And I know the timing isn't great and I still have to figure out all the logistics but… Caitlin, this is the right thing for me… and it's the right time.'

Caitlin could feel tears stinging her eyes and she threw her arms around his neck although it was unclear whether she was comforting him or the other way around.

'Are you with me on this?' she heard him murmur in her ear as he held her close.

She nodded silently, holding him tight as Raffie let out an impatient bark and the couple pulled away, both of them laughing nervously.

'All right, buddy. We get the message; let's go' Will said, taking Caitlin's hand.

WCWCWC

Back in the hotel suite, Sara was busy putting the finishing touches on her attire for the evening. Like Neal, she had no idea what was in store for her or even where this bash was taking place. Elizabeth had been explicit: be down in the lobby at 5:00 and be ready for anything - just don't ask any questions.

She stared at herself in the mirror, tugging at the collar of her dress and cursing the lump that peeked out no matter how much she worked at covering it up. She had a fleeting thought for Sandy, the young hair stylist and envied the courage and confidence the young woman had displayed when it came to her appearance. Sara Ellis had never been one to doubt her attributes but the unwelcome appearance of this ugly bulge had thrown her for a loop. She sighed, wondering if she should change into a turtleneck… right Sara, let's do that when it's eighty degrees outside - no one will find _that_ weird in the least.

She reminded herself that she would be surrounded by people who loved her and who didn't give a rats ass about her new 'accessory' but somehow, that wasn't much consolation. She tried to focus her mind on all the amazing women who would be at the party: Elizabeth, Hope, Caitlin, Emily, Lydia, Donna Mason, Diana and Christie, Bonnie Armstrong, Mindy Miller maybe Ivy Jones and Moira Rivers and probably Ginette Murphy - all wonderfully strong women for whom she had a great deal of admiration and who, for the occasion, would likely resort to doing all those silly, idiotic things women stooped to doing at a bachelorette party.

Sara glanced at her watch, noting she still had a few minutes left before she needed to head downstairs. She reached into her large purse and pulled out the anniversary gift she'd prepared ahead of time for Neal. She'd taken extra care to wrap it in gold foil paper with a matching ribbon lovingly tied around it. She hoped he'd like it; after all, he was always infinitely better at choosing gifts than she was but, this time, she'd found something that was both practical and sentimental and she hoped this gift hit the mark.

Her purse remained open on the bed, the little index cards with her wedding vows peeking out, taunting her. She picked them up, running her hand up and down the text, doubt creeping in. She had just enough time to put in a call to Emily before she needed to head downstairs and on impulse, she picked up to phone to call her sister.

Emily answered on the first ring, her voice unusually breathless.

'Hey, you ready for your hen night?' she asked her younger sister.

'As ready as I'll every be, I suppose' Sara replied, tugging absentmindedly on the collar of her dress. 'I'm a little… anxious, actually.'

'Anxious? Why? It's going to be a hoot!' Emily replied with a nervous titter.

Sara could hear voices and giggling in the background. 'What's going on over there?' she asked, curious.

'None of your business. Now, stop asking questions' Emily said.

'I wondered if I could run something by you' Sara asked. 'There's this part in my vows that doesn't sound quite right…'

'What? You mean now?' Emily asked; her voice shrill.

'No, next month, Em' Sara replied, deadpan. 'Of course I mean _now!_ The wedding is tomorrow.'

'Well… I've got the girls here…' Emily said, trying to cover something up — although Sara couldn't figure out what that might be.

'What girls? Is Hope over at our place?' Sara asked, intrigued.

'Just… just stop asking so many questions. Bring your… thing-a-ma-jig to the party tonight and I'll take a look.'

'O-kay' Sara said, confused and somewhat disappointed. 'I guess I'll see you in a little while, then.'

'Sooner than you think' Emily said, under her breath after she'd hung up. She looked around the curious faces sitting next to her in the plush limousine: Elizabeth, Caitlin, Lydia, Donna, Diana, Christie, and Mindy Miller.

'That was close' El said. 'Do you think she suspects anything?'

Emily shrugged. 'She just sounded… not upset exactly, more like preoccupied.'

Elizabeth looked around the limo at all the eager faces. 'Well, it's our job to make sure the bride relaxes and has a good time tonight' she said, lifting up her champagne glass in a toast. 'Here's to Sara!'

'To Sara!' everybody said in unison.

WCWCWC

'Paint ball! It's paint ball, isn't it?' Neal asked, his voice excited.

He'd been trying to figure out where they were headed ever since they'd left the hotel, shouting out guesses as Peter drove along, trying in vain to keep the conversation on track. Over time, he'd learned that ignoring Neal was always the best tactic - if you gave him even a whiff of something, Neal would hound you until you finally gave in and told him what he wanted to know.

'You shaved' Peter commented out of the blue, trying to steer the conversation away from their destination.

'Wow!' Neal replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Now I see why you were such a successful FBI agent; it's those amazing observation skills.'

'So, why _did_ you shave? Sara?' Peter asked.

Neal looked over at his best friend, growing increasingly annoyed. 'What happens between me and my wife is _my_ business, don't you think?' he replied testily.

'Stop acting like a petulant five-year-old! You're just pissed off because you can't figure out where I'm taking you' Peter said glibly.

Neal looked out the window, resolutely clamming up. He didn't want to give Peter the satisfaction of seeing just how exasperated he was.

'Well, I guess we can eliminate _your_ place as our destination' he muttered under his breath as Peter continued along the highway, ignoring the turnoff for Brooklyn.

Peter chuckled - he had to give his best friend top marks for persistence. Keeping something - _anything_ \- from Neal Caffrey was definitely a challenge. The man was notoriously curious and his desire to know everything about everything was only matched by his keen sense of observation. Once he made up his mind he just _had_ to know something, it was virtually impossible to keep him in the dark as he worked relentlessly to wear you down. Luckily, having Neal and Sara tucked away at the Four Seasons had given Peter and Liam the leeway they needed to plot behind his back and the two men had taken advantage of the last couple of days to finalize plans for what they hoped would be a fun evening for their guest of honour.

'Why don't you just settle down and enjoy the ride' Peter suggested, his voice clipped.

He glanced over at Neal, sensing his impatience. 'You know, I think I should have gone with my first impulse and put you in handcuffs and blindfolded you.'

Neal gave him a look of pure annoyance. 'I'd like to see you _try_ ' he replied cockily.

'So, how is Sara, anyway?' Peter asked, changing the subject once more and returning his eyes to the road. 'Was she excited about tonight?'

Neal appeared evasive, taking his time to respond. 'She was… she must have changed outfits three times.'

'That doesn't sound like Sara' Peter commented.

'Well, this is the new _bionic_ Sara' Neal reminded him.

'Oh… is this about the…' Peter hesitated, pointing to his chest.

'The pacemaker? You can say it, Peter. It's not a dirty word.'

Peter sighed, embarrassed.

'She's got it in her head that people are going to stare at her scar and it makes her feel uncomfortable' Neal explained.

'Sorry…' Peter said, ineffectually. 'I hope the girls can pull her out of her funk. El and Hope have a fun night planned for them.'

'Oh yeah? Like what?' Neal said with a mischievous smile. If he couldn't figure out where _they_ were going, maybe he could get the dirt on what was in store for his wife.

Peter leaned in, as if he were sharing some dirty little secret. 'El got the guy who's catering your wedding to do the food service tonight and he's bringing some guys from Manhattan Men to act as waiters' he said with a smirk.

'Manhattan Men? The male strip joint?' Neal asked, seemingly appalled.

'Yes!' Peter exclaimed with a goofy grin. 'Some of these guys work banquets and stuff for Stéphane and he's got them serving food for the ladies and helping with the wine tasting.'

'They're not going to… strip, are they?' Neal asked, acting all virtuous.

'I don't know, Neal. What's with you anyway? Since when did you become such a prude?'

'Well, Hope's going to be there… and Caitlin and then's there's Bonnie Armstrong' Neal replied, his eyes narrowing.

'So? It's a girl's hen party! It's supposed to get a little rowdy. Besides, Hope is a married woman who just had a baby; I'm pretty sure she's well acquainted with the male anatomy.'

'Ugh! Peter!' Neal shouted, indignant. 'Did you just say that out loud?'

'You know what I mean. It's just a little bit of fun. Anyway, it sounds like Sara needs to relax a little before the big day tomorrow.'

'I suppose…' Neal replied, looking out the window. 'As long as I get her back in one piece. I've got big plans for us later on tonight.'

'Plans?' Peter repeated.

Neal nodded and grinned widely as he thought ahead to what he had in store for their little celebration. 'Yeah, today's our actual anniversary and I've got a few surprises planned for when we get back to the hotel.'

Peter seemed impressed; leave it to Neal to have something up his sleeve on their special day. The guy was a hopeless romantic. Now, if only his best friend would rub off on him a little more, El would be a much happier woman.

'Like what kind of plans?' Peter asked, an old dog, eager to learn new tricks.

'Like, I got the concierge to go up to our room and… oh, no, you don't' Neal said, realizing Peter just wanted to get some free advice. 'You're not piggy-backing onto _my_ ideas. You can figure out your own way of pleasing your wife.'

'Come on, Neal. Can't you help a guy out? El's birthday is coming up and I have absolutely no idea what to give her… or how to celebrate.'

'Well, for one thing… you could start by turning off the baseball game' Neal replied snidely.

Peter scoffed, giving his best friend a dirty look. 'I'm not an idiot, Neal. I already figured _that_ out.'

Neal sneered and looked to his left; he wouldn't put it past his best friend to have the game on _while_ he was trying to woo his wife - Peter was a world renowned multi-tasker. As far as Neal was concerned, Peter had never really gotten the essence of what women wanted; he was always fixated on finding the right restaurant or the right gift.

'It's not rocket science, Peter. All any woman wants is to be reminded that she's the centre of your universe, that she's the most important person in your life.'

Peter pouted. It might not be rocket science for someone like Neal Caffrey but for Peter, getting it right seemed like an insurmountable challenge - and he'd been struggling with it his whole married life.

'Mozzie's!' Neal suddenly shouted, causing Peter to startle. 'We're going to Mozzie's place in New Rochelle!'

Peter just gave him an annoyed look and shook his head; he was bound and determined to keep the groom guessing until the very last minute.

'Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?' Neal continued, sounding very much like the hyperactive five-year-old who still dwelled in his sixty-one-year old body.

WCWCWC

A soft knock came at the door just as Sara finished zipping up outfit number four. It seemed Elizabeth was right on time.

'Hi' Sara said, putting on her game face. 'I thought I was meeting you downstairs.'

'I was a few minutes early so I thought I'd come up and check out your digs for myself' Elizabeth said, with a bright smile. 'I wanted to make sure you're getting the premium treatment.'

'You look amazing, by the way' she added as she stepped into the room and got a good look at her best friend, clad in a beautiful sleeveless dress in a pale shade of blue.

The dress had a cowl neck, showing off Sara's sculpted arms, hugging her curves and falling just above the knee, accentuating her long, lean legs. It wasn't lost of Elizabeth that what the dress _didn't_ show was the nasty scar she was sporting or the actual lump that protruded from above her breastbone.

'Is that a new dress?' Elizabeth asked.

'Yeah, Neal bought it for me yesterday when we went shopping.'

'Well, it's gorgeous' El said; as usual, her best friend had impeccable taste in clothes.

She looked around the suite, checking things out as she took a few steps into the room. 'So, how are you two enjoying your little getaway?'

'It's been amazing. Neal and I can't thank you enough for doing this for us. Yesterday, we had a massage and that bathtub… it's heavenly.'

Elizabeth smiled in satisfaction. Calling in that favour was well worth it from what she could see. She could sense hesitation in her best friend and she turned to face her.

'You all right?' she asked. 'You look a little… subdued.'

Sara smiled, nerves peeking out of her well crafted veneer. 'I'm fine. I just don't know what all of you have planned for me' she said, reaching for her purse.

'You're not going to make me walk around a bar with a stupid veil on my head or anything, are you?' she added with a grin, reverting to form.

'Nothing like that' Elizabeth said, taking her arm. 'But we do have a few surprises in store for you, though.'

As it happened, she only had to wait a few seconds for surprise number one to materialize. The two women stepped out of the hotel lobby and Sara's eyes began to sweep the parking lot in an attempt to find El's little red car - which was nowhere in sight. Instead, a luxury white limousine sat directly in front of them and the door opened to reveal several of Sara's friends and family, whooping and hollering as Sara and El got closer.

'You're kidding me!' Sara said with a wide smile.

'Hey girlfriend!' Lydia Jordan called out as she scooted over to make room for the bride. She handed her a glass of champagne as the group giggled and chatted loudly.

'Welcome to your hen party!' Elizabeth shouted as everyone cheered.

WCWCWC

'You're kidding me!' Neal said as he looked out at the large recreational complex that stood before them. 'You're not making me climb rocks, are you? Peter, I'm wearing jeans!'

Peter laughed. It was only the beginning of the many surprises he and Liam had in store for the groom - and from Neal's reaction, it looked like they were going to have a great time.

'Don't worry about that' Peter replied as he waved to the crowd of men who were standing by the front door of the establishment. 'We've got you covered.'

Neal could see Liam, waving madly, jumping up and down in glee - a very worrisome sight considering how laid-back the young man usually was. Neal looked around the group; besides Liam and Cody were Will, Jones, Sam Jordan, Jeff Mason and Mike Miller. He recognized Ken Murphy who he hadn't seen in a few years and last but not least, Scott Rivers looking a lot more mature than Neal remembered.

There was no sign of Mozzie — which wasn't surprising; the man did things on his own schedule, a schedule that had nothing to do with the hands of a clock.

Peter turned to look at Neal and rubbed his hands together, a definite twinkle in his eye.

'Let's get this party started!' he shouted.

TBC


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

The rock climbing was a big hit - especially with the younger generation. While Liam, Cody and Will raced to the top of the wall effortlessly, playfully jockeying for position, Neal and Jones struggled side by side, their breathing laboured as they attempted to keep up a semblance of conversation while climbing up the steep wall.

'Keep your legs moving, Neal!' Neal heard from a few feet away where Jeff Mason was gaining on him as he crept up the wall off to his left.

To say that Jeff Mason and Neal Caffrey were rivals wasn't much of an exaggeration. Although the two men had been friends since the Caffreys first set foot in White Plains, they had developed a rather intense, some might say unhealthy, competition when it came to who had the greenest, best looking lawn, who had the prettiest azaleas and who grew the most luscious tomatoes. Their daughters had been best friends since they were fifteen months old and Neal and Sara had been invited to Donna and Jeff Mason's house for dinner - and vice-versa - countless times over the years. But when the holiday season rolled around, both men grew secretive and became exceedingly competitive, to the chagrin of both their wives, as they prepared to challenge one another in the annual Meadowbrook Street house decorating contest.

For one month each year, the usually friendly rivalry between the two men would ratchet up a notch and the competition became the centre of their universe as they focussed on outdoing each other with the brightest lights, the gaudiest decorations and the most elaborate ornaments one could imagine. As it stood, after participating in the contest almost every year for the past twenty-four Christmases, Neal had racked up nine wins to Jeff's ten victories with the rest split amongst the other neighbours. He was lagging behind and that fact stuck in Neal Caffrey's craw, niggling at him and resurfacing at the most inopportune times.

Despite the fact they were sweating it out on a warm June afternoon, Neal's mind wandered to the upcoming holiday season, only six months away. He felt his resolve strengthen as he glanced over at Jeff and he gave his friend and neighbour a forced smile. Neal hated to be on the losing end of _anything_ especially where Jeff was concerned and when he noticed the man eagerly scaling the wall, he glanced over at Jones and took a deep breath.

'Got to go, Jones' he mumbled as he willed his legs to keep moving and reached up for the next grip, hoisting himself up with a loud groan. He felt a sharp tugging as the leg strap dug into the inside of his thigh and he swore under his breath before managing to place his foot on the next grip, forging ahead despite the pain flaring in his groin.

Peter observed as he sat in the nearby bar, enjoying the show. At the ripe old age of seventy-three, his rock climbing days were behind him and he sat there, alongside Ken Murphy watching the drama unfold. Neal _seemed_ to be enjoying himself but Peter couldn't help but notice him suddenly take off in a flash, leaving Clinton Jones in his dust. Peter knew all about the rivalry between his best friend and Jeff Mason - he'd been on the receiving end of Neal's gripes for years - and he could see that Neal was racing with all he had not to be outdone by his friend and neighbour.

'There he goes' he commented. 'Watch this, Ken. This is going to be good.'

Up top, the youngsters cheered each other on as they reached the pinnacle and once there, Liam pushed away from the wall, letting himself slide down. He met his dad halfway down, noticing the steely determination in his eyes - or was that pain?

'You go Dad!' he cheered as he crossed Neal's path, watching him huffing and puffing in a race to the finish.

WCWCWC

'You all right, Dad?' Liam asked as the two men stood in the parking lot, taking a break from the noisy atmosphere inside.

Neal winced in pain; he'd really done a number on himself and he could feel the ache pulsating through his privates, not pleasant in the least.

'Fine' he grumbled; the pain in his groin was nothing compared to his wounded pride at having lost the race to his nemesis.

'You almost had him…' Liam added in empathy.

Neal mumbled something unintelligible, eager to change the topic.

'So, did you bring it?' he asked as Liam reached into the bag he'd brought along with a change of clothes for his dad.

'Yeah, it's right here' he replied, reaching down deep and pulling out the small box.

Neal peeked inside at the ring with the newly set alexandrite gem; it had turned out even better than he'd hoped.

'What do you think? You think she'll like it?' he asked his son.

He'd blown a lot of money on the anniversary gift and he really hoped Sara would approve of his choice.

'I don't know much about rings, but I _do_ know Mom' Liam said. 'She's going to love it.'

Neal produced a small box of his own from his jeans pocket. 'I've got a little something for you to wear tomorrow' he explained, handing it over to his son.

Liam opened the box, curious as to what was inside.

'Wow…' he began. 'I'm pretty sure these are great' he laughed nervously.

Neal joined in with a chuckle; his son was not a connoisseur of cufflinks or tie bars - as a matter of fact, he doubted Liam had ever even had occasion to wear a tie bar.

'Well, I thought you'd like a nice pair of cufflinks to go with your suit' Neal said quietly. 'I'm pretty sure this won't be last time you need to get dressed up.'

Liam leaned in and hugged his father, feeling the emotion emanating from the older man. 'Thanks Dad. I'll wear them proudly.'

There was a brief moment of awkwardness between them but it passed almost immediately.

'Dad, there's something else I need to talk to you about' Liam began tentatively. 'Will's dad kicked him out of the house.'

'What? Oh, no!' Neal replied, hand on Liam's shoulder. 'What happened?'

'He found out he's changing his major and he freaked out. Will is pretty upset and he has nowhere to go…'

'And you want to know if he can stay with us?'

'Just until he figures things out' Liam replied. 'Would that be okay?'

Neal's mind went instantly to Caitlin - somewhat of a complication but surely not insurmountable with a little bit of common sense and good will on everyone's part.

'Of course it is. Let me just run it by your mom but go ahead and tell Will he's welcome to stay with us for now' Neal replied with a sad smile.

'Hey, you two!' came Peter's voice as he exited the building. 'We're moving the party to another location!'

Neal looked over at his son, pleading silently for a little more information.

'Don't look at me' Liam said with a laugh. 'You heard Uncle Peter, just get in the car.'

WCWCWC

The mood in the Burke house was festive. Once there, the group had grown to include Ivy Jones, Ginette Murphy and Bonnie Armstrong and shortly thereafter, Cam, Hope and Jacob arrived to the cheers of all the women assembled. Little Jake was just two days old and his parents were still adjusting to his presence in their lives but both Hope and Cam had insisted on putting in an appearance and partaking of the festivities - albeit, for a short while.

Once the new dad had settled his wife and son in an armchair in the Burke living room, he kissed them both goodbye and headed out to join the rest of the men who were moving on to Clinton Jones' place for the next phase of Neal's bachelor party.

Instantly, the group of women gravitated towards Hope and baby Jacob, oohing and aahing, as the newborn cooed in his mom's arms.

'Looks like you're no longer the star of the show' Elizabeth commented as she handed Sara a glass of wine.

'I'm perfectly happy not being the centre of attention' Sara replied with a smile.

'By the way…' El said. 'Moira Rivers called and said she needed to stay with the girls tonight but she'll see you at the wedding tomorrow.'

Sara nodded, her eyes turning towards her daughter and grandson where, not surprisingly, a crowd of admirers had assembled. 'I'm really glad Hope could come' she sighed. 'It wouldn't be the same without her.'

Elizabeth looked at her best friend in admiration. 'You know, you're the youngest looking grandma I've ever seen. You look amazing, Sara.'

Sara smiled brightly, an honest to goodness smile and she hugged Elizabeth; her best friend could always be counted on to say the right thing.

'Everybody! Everybody!' Caitlin's voice rang out as everyone turned to look at her. 'I'd like to draw your attention over here.'

She stood in front of a series of easels which had been covered with a sheet. Sara's eyes grew in response; she had a feeling she was about to become the centre of attention again and she braced herself as the sheets were removed and a half-dozen head shots of her with a variety of hairstyles and colouring were revealed as everyone cheered.

Sara's hair had been pretty well every shade imaginable over the years - some more becoming than others and she rolled her eyes at the sight of some of her ill fated choices as well as some of the hairstyles which really dated her. What had she been thinking?

'All right, Sara' Caitlin instructed, taking her foster mother by the arm and bringing her closer.

'This is your first challenge' she said. 'This is you over a period of twenty-five years - you need to put these in chronological order and for every one you get wrong…' she continued, pointing to Emily who had appeared, carrying a tray of shot glasses filled to the rim with what looked like tequila.

'Oh no!' Sara moaned.

'Oh, yes!' Emily replied with a wicked grin.

WCWCWC

Once they'd arrived at Clinton and Ivy Jones' home in New Rochelle, the group of men made their way down to Clinton's man cave where many a poker night had been enjoyed over the years. To Neal's delight, Mozzie had decided to join the festivities and Cam had appeared alongside his dad, Fred Armstrong.

Neal was paraded around by Liam and Peter and he proceeded to chat with everyone present while Clinton and Cody brought out countless platters of food and drinks for everyone to enjoy.

The room had been set up with a couple of tables and Neal immediately deduced that poker was on the agenda although there was a chair set up in one corner of the room that looked ominously like a 'hot seat' and he began to suspect he would be sitting there before the end of the night, probably being teased and tormented by his so-called friends.

The first thing Peter did was walk over to the small refrigerator and pull out a bottle of high end peach cider and a bottle of non-alcoholic beer, presenting both to Neal who grabbed for the beer, taking a grateful sip.

'So, how does it feel?' Peter asked, pointing in the general direction of Neal's groin.

Neal glanced bitterly in Jeff Mason's direction - he looked no worse for wear after beating him in the impromptu contest whereas Neal had been left to nurse an unexpected injury on a night where he'd been planning to make use of his… equipment.

'Fine' Neal muttered. 'It's just a little… tender.'

He pasted on a smile as he saw Scott walking towards them, looking a little tired, if truth be told.

'So, how's your trip to New York?' Neal asked. 'Are you and the girls enjoying the sights?'

'The girls are over the moon' Scott replied as he took a slug from his beer. 'Grace and Leah took at least three dozen pictures at the Empire State Building and the twins just couldn't get enough of Central Park.'

'There's plenty to do around here, no doubt about it' Neal replied. 'So, how's Moira?'

'She's due in another month but she can barely walk… if you can call it that' Scott admitted. 'You'll see for yourself tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, she's really sensitive about the way she looks, so I wouldn't say anything that compares her to a house… or a structure of any kind.'

'I hear you' Neal replied with a grin, glancing at Peter.

Scott sighed deeply. 'You know, if I didn't know better, I'd swear she's having twins… again.'

'Ooooh' Neal and Peter said simultaneously; now, that was a scary thought.

'So, is it a boy?' Neal queried, the question he'd been dying to ask.

'He… or she… is not letting us get a good look between his legs' Scott said with just a twinge of disappointment. 'But hey, if I can live with five women, I suppose I can learn to live with six.'

Peter and Neal shared a discreet glance; better him than either one of them, that was for sure.

'Neal! We need you over here!' Clinton Jones called out from one of the two poker tables, inviting him to join the group already seated.

To say that Neal was scrutinized whenever he and the guys got together to play poker would be somewhat of an understatement. Clinton still insisted on frisking him when he arrived and despite the fact they'd been playing off and on for years, Neal knew he was always the focus of attention during their 'friendly' poker nights as everyone kept their eyes peeled on him to make sure he wasn't engaged in any funny business.

But tonight was _his_ night and when he glanced over at the table where Clinton stood, holding out a chair for him, he caught a glimpse of Jeff Mason sitting there, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to humiliate him once again. Neal was not about to be beaten a second time and he glanced at Peter who seemed to be reading his mind.

Peter put his hand on Neal's shoulder as he led him over to the table, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

'Don't worry. I've got your back, buddy' he murmured.

WCWCWC

By the time Sara had finished her first challenge, she'd been forced to ingest three shots of tequila and Emily had to gently guide her over to sit in the seat of honour that had been placed in the middle of the room.

'Good job, Mom' Hope said reassuringly, despite the fact that Sara's efforts had ended in an epic fail.

Thankfully, the three tequila shots seemed to have softened the blow and Sara smirked ineptly in response to her daughter's words of encouragement. There was a knock on the door and Elizabeth was instantly on her feet as everyone eagerly awaited Sara's reaction to what they all knew was waiting on the other side.

When the door opened, Sara immediately recognized Stéphane, the caterer El had hired for the wedding; what she wasn't expecting, however, was the parade of four gorgeous young men who followed, clad in pants and suspenders wearing bowties but… no shirts.

The group of women hooted and hollered as Sara's eyes grew wide; those were mighty fine looking young men and she found herself joining in the rambunctious greeting they were getting from everyone in attendance. Little Jacob stirred in his mom's arms but continued snoozing, despite the party raging on around him and Hope giggled as she watched her mom's eyes grow to the size of saucers.

'Good evening ladies!' Stéphane called out in his adorable French accent. 'I brought some friends along, I hope you don't mind.'

He'd hand picked the best of the best, and Sara instantly knew that food wasn't the only thing they'd be serving up before the night was over. The men made the rounds, greeting each of the women with a kiss and a little body roll - a promise of more to come. They walked towards the kitchen, disappearing momentarily as they ostensibly got to work on preparing the trays of food which had been delivered earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, the women weren't done having fun at the bride's expense and Emily appeared, carrying a life-size cut out of Neal which she displayed as everyone applauded. Sara, already feeling the effects of her little excursion in tequila-land giggled as the sight of the image of her husband, looking buff in a pair of tighty whities and nothing else.

Lydia Jordan and Donna Mason stood on either side of the life-size cutout, leaning in to give the likeness a kiss on the cheek as everyone clapped in approval.

'Now we have some of Neal's best body parts here' Lydia declared, holding up a bunch of cardboard facsimiles of various parts of the anatomy. 'And _your_ job, Sara, is to come over here and pin them in the all right places.'

Sara giggled and got to her feet, rather unsteadily only to have Mindy Miller, rise and grab the bride-to-be's arm to hold her back.

'Oh, no! Not so fast!' she said, producing a blindfold.

'Nooooo!' Sara whined as everyone laughed.

'Yes ma'am!' she replied. 'And once again, we have some shooters for you when you're off by more than… what do you say, ladies? Six inches?' she said suggestively.

'Is that about right Sara?' Lydia said with a chuckle. 'Six inches?'

Sara giggled. 'Please! No more booze!' she pleaded as she was dragged to her feet and the blindfold was placed over her eyes.

'All right, let's start with an easy one. Let's do his… eyes' Lydia said as she handed Sara a facsimile of Neal's baby blues and pointed her in the right direction.

Poor Sara… she never stood a chance.

WCWCWC

The group of six men sat around the poker table, enjoying the fine cigars Neal had brought along to celebrate the arrival of his new grandson. They huffed and puffed and munched on nachos and some fancy-schmancy shrimp appetizers Clinton had ordered just for the guest of honour. Neal was looking glib, having managed to take a healthy lead in the game and he watched smugly as Jeff Mason stared down at his cards, once again disappointed with what he'd been saddled with.

'I'll take three' Jeff muttered as Neal smiled, self-satisfied.

Since they'd sat down to play, he'd been pulling almost every single con he knew and except for Peter and Jones, who had picked up on Neal's antics right from the very first hand, he was getting away with every single trick without anyone the wiser. He'd hidden cards up his sleeve, he'd stacked the cards in his favour as he dealt, and he'd managed to deal Jeff the absolute worse hands every chance he got. Bottom line, he'd been pulling every trick in the book and he was right on the money, pleased to know he hadn't lost the magic touch. Of course, having both Peter and Clinton in his corner had been helpful; on several occasions, the three had colluded to keep Neal on the winning side of the ledger - helping him save face after his disastrous showing back at the rock climbing challenge.

'I'm out' Jeff muttered, obviously pissed off that he just wasn't getting the cards he needed.

Neal just smiled smugly in his direction.

'Not your night tonight, huh Jeff!' he commented as the man pushed away from the table and stood.

Liam and Will watched the action from the sidelines - they knew _something_ was up but, for the life of them, they hadn't quite figured out how Neal was pulling it off.

Neal's hand swept the table, collecting his poker chips, looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. His name - and more importantly his honour - had been restored and he gave Peter and Clinton an appreciative smile as he moved away from the table, enjoying his impressive victory.

He was about to find out just how fast good friends could turn on you.

WCWCWC

Sara got away with having to take just two more shots of the hard stuff by the time she'd finished pinning all of Neal's body parts on his effigy - including his impressive privates. Seemed she did better at knowing her hubby's body than recognizing her own hairstyles over the years.

Hope and Caitlin had covered their eyes as Sara attempted to place the more intimate parts of her husband's anatomy on the life like cutout while everyone else seemed to enjoy watching her struggle with pinning the tail… on Neal.

'All right, girl. You better slow down on those tequila shots or I'm going to have to answer to Neal when you can't think straight in the morning' Elizabeth said as she directed Sara to some of the food on display.

'I don't know _what_ I was worried about' Sara declared, her voice slurred. 'This is a l-l-lot of fun!'

Whatever anxiety she might have been feeling had completely vanished as the alcohol made its way into her system and she found herself more than happy to be there and more than ready to rumble.

'Right!' El said with a chortle. 'Here, have some of these cheese puffs' she said, practically stuffing them in her best friend's mouth.

'Hi' one of the gorgeous hunks murmured as he stepped in closer to the two women. He was carrying a tray of champagne glasses, filled to the brim.

'Yum!' Sara declared as she snatched one up and, before El could intervene, brought it to her lips.

'Mmmm! This is the good stuff' she added, throwing it back.

The young man grinned and gave her a little shake of his cute butt as he put down the tray and led her over to sit in the guest of honour's seat in the middle of the room.

'As the bride, you get a little something extra with your drink' he said lewdly, his hands reaching out and sliding up and down Sara's thighs. He stood, letting his hands linger on his suspenders and pulling them down languidly as his pants began to slip off his buff body.

Sara's face lit up as she watched, mesmerized, the young man gyrating in front of her like there was no tomorrow. He brought his butt up to her face, shaking it as he finally pulled down his pants, revealing a very… brief g-string and a gorgeous bare ass.

Hope cringed, holding the baby tightly against her bosom as if to shield his eyes from the spectacle. She turned to face Caitlin who was having a similar reaction.

'I will _never_ be able to un-see that!' Hope complained with a wide grin.

The fuse was lit and Sara Ellis was determined to have a good old time!

TBC


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Neal beamed with pride as he listened to his son's glowing testimonial. Liam had been flattering throughout, sharing with everyone in attendance just how much he loved and admired his dad and how Neal had always been a source of support and encouragement.

Unfortunately, Neal had been to enough of these shindigs to know that, any minute, the tide was going to turn and, whether he liked it or not, his less than stellar attributes would be laid out for all to hear.

'In case you haven't figured it out, I think my dad is a pretty terrific guy. Some might even say he's perfect' Liam pronounced, his face serious. 'But… well, let's face it, _nobody's_ perfect' he said as Neal grimaced, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

'My dad has a few little quirks that might not be visible to the naked eye. For example… despite the fact that he's a really classy guy, he _loves_ getting a good deal and he _loves_ shopping for bargains' Liam told everyone in attendance. 'So, if you come over to our house, you should definitely check out the pantry. There's industrial size everything in there: jars of pickles, ketchup, mustard, granola, toilet paper, peanut butter, you name it, we've got it. It's like having our very own mini-supermarket and it drives my mom crazy because if you try to open the door to the pantry, you're pretty well guaranteed something will fall out and hit you in the head.'

The men laughed at the unfathomable image of Neal Caffrey walking up and down the aisles at Walmart or Costco, munching on free samples and hunting for bargains - a far cry from the confident and dapper metrosexual image he'd so carefully cultivated over the years.

Neal placed a hand over his blushing face, rolling his eyes in exaggeration. As far as deep dark secrets went, this one was pretty tame compared to some of the things he'd done in his early life - nevertheless, to his dismay, Liam was sharing information that could become damaging to his 'smooth operator' persona.

'Those of you who have spent more than five minutes with my parents know how lovey-dovey they can be…' Liam continued, stating the obvious.

'You're not kidding!' came a voice from the back of the room and everyone turned to hoot and holler as Scott Rivers stood, holding up his glass in a toast to Neal.

'My dad is a hopeless romantic' Liam continued 'and he treats my mom like a queen but the truth is… sometimes they _do_ argue and when they do… well, you'd better get out of the way because they do it with the same passion with which they do everything else.'

Neal shook his head and braced himself for some good natured ribbing. Which story was Liam about to tell?

'What, you might ask, do my folks argue about? The state of the world? The national debt? Politics? Nope… one of their ongoing arguments is about… wait for it… cream cheese' Liam said as everyone laughed.

'My mom is alway nagging Dad about cutting down on his fat intake so Dad buys the big vat of low-fat cream cheese - you know the big ass, industrial sized buckets. The problem is… he puts about three times as much of the stuff on his huge, oversized bagels.'

Right on cue, Clinton appeared carrying a plateful of large poppyseed bagels smothered in cream cheese.

'So, Dad, tonight, we'd like to give you something we know your little heart desires above all else - unlimited cream cheese on your big ass bagels. And we promise not to tell Mom.'

The room erupted in applause as the platter was placed before Neal who just shook his head in disbelief and lifted his fist playfully in Liam's direction. Young Caffrey returned to sit at Cody's side; he was relieved to have finished giving his little spiel. As much as he was used to being the centre of attention on the basketball court, he hated public speaking and he was relieved when his uncle Peter stood to take his place.

Peter stepped up to the middle of the room and the group cheered loudly at the sight of Neal's best friend, poised to give him a good ribbing. Neal made a move to get up, feigning the urge to run away and Peter walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to remain in place.

'Oh, no, buddy! You're not going anywhere!'

'Awwww, come on, Peter!' Neal moaned as everyone laughed.

'I have known Neal Caffrey for over thirty years' Peter announced, over the sound of laughter. 'As a matter of fact, I knew him even _before_ he met Sara Ellis. I think we'd all agree that Neal is a wonderful guy: he's thoughtful, caring, generous, a wonderful husband and a terrific dad.'

Neal nodded in agreement, giving Peter the thumbs up.

'But he's got a few… flaws that might not be obvious to the casual observer. Luckily, you've got me here to tell you all about the 'real' Neal Caffrey' Peter declared.

'Woo hoo!' came Jones' voice over the chuckles. 'Do it, Peter!'

Neal squirmed as he waited to see which of his foibles Peter would choose to expose to the group; why, oh why had he ever agreed to this?

'First off, Neal might look like a grown man, a fine upstanding citizen, a husband, a dad, a gallery owner, founder of the illustrious June Ellington School of Art… but the truth is, deep down inside…' Peter said as he feigned a whisper '…beats the heart of a very impulsive four-year-old.'

This was nothing Neal hadn't heard before. Peter was constantly commenting on his inability to take the long view and his need for immediate gratification. He'd certainly improved with time but every now and then, the impulse to act without proper reflection reared its head and if it hadn't been for both Peter and Sara, Neal might have gotten himself into even more jams over the years.

'Neal and I worked together at the FBI for a number of years and we faced many dangerous situations. As a matter of fact, I've seen Neal face down dangerous criminals, I've witnessed him putting his life on the line, I've seen him jump off buildings and I've even seen him stare down the barrel of a gun and in that same way, Neal wouldn't hesitate to fall on a sword for the people he loves.'

Neal smiled; he appreciated Peter being intentionally vague about the exact nature of their relationship, never mentioning the fact that he'd been Neal's handler or the reason Neal had come to work at the Bureau in the first place. Roughly half of the men in the room knew about Neal's past but the rest did not and Neal had no interest in having them find out, at his bachelor party no less, that Neal Caffrey had lived the life of a world renowned forger and had spent four long years in prison before they'd gotten to know him.

'There are, however, certain things that terrify Neal: the sight of blood, watching his wife and kids suffer, getting stuck in elevators… visiting doctors' offices…'

'No way!' Neal called out as he realized Peter was about to relate his less than stellar meltdown in the urologist's office on the day he'd had his vasectomy. 'You are NOT going there!'

'Oh, no?' Peter said. 'Watch me.'

WCWCWC

The atmosphere at Casa Burke had deteriorated - or was that blossomed - into a rowdy, chaotic affair complete with blaring music and the agile and seductive moves of four very energetic young men. Over a dozen wine bottles sat empty as the women cheered on the 'dancers' who were doing a great job with their scripted number to the ever popular 'It's raining men'.

Despite her initial efforts to keep things on the tame side, Elizabeth had finally capitulated as the civil wine tasting had gone off the rails and had turned into a wine guzzling extravaganza with Sara, in particular, having imbibed more than her fair share of spirits. The good news was that Sara was now totally relaxed and fully enjoying her party; the bad news… well, Neal might not be too pleased when he and Peter got back to collect her and found her drooling with her face buried in the gyrating crotch of a twenty-something-year-old stripper.

Elizabeth watched as Sara stuffed a couple of dollar bills into a young man's g-string and let out a most inappropriate hoot. She wasn't quite sure _how_ it had happened but she'd managed to let the bride get more than a little wasted and she glanced around the chaos in her living room, realizing she'd lost total control of her best friend's bachelorette party. Maybe she should have kept a closer eye on things; after all, Sara was getting married in a little over twelve hours.

El let out a sigh; it was a little too late to try to re-establish calm and order in all this craziness. She decided to give in and she threw back the last of her glass of wine and joined in.

WCWCWC

'Are you sorry you had to leave the party early?' Cameron asked Hope as they lay in bed, their newborn son safely tucked in between them.

'No…' she replied dreamily as she ran her hand over the baby's hair. 'I'm exactly where I want to be. You?'

'Ditto' he replied with a contented smile. 'Your dad was about to undergo a good roasting by your uncle Peter. He actually begged me to let him come home with me.'

Hope giggled. 'Uncle Peter will not let him off lightly. He'll be sure to tell the most embarrassing stories possible.'

Cameron glanced up at the pretty lavender dress hanging on a hook on their bedroom door. Hope had worn it to their stag party the previous spring and he recalled how beautiful she'd looked that night.

'Is that what you're wearing tomorrow?' he asked.

'Yeah, the good thing about having had the baby before the wedding is that now, I don't have to wear that ass-ugly dress I'd picked out' she replied.

Cameron ran his hand through her hair. 'Babe, you'd look great in anything' he said with fondness.

'You are so full of shit, Cameron Armstrong' she said with a chuckle. 'And I love you for it.'

The baby sighed loudly and they both turned their attention back to him, lying there so peacefully between them.

'Can you believe it?' Cam asked. 'He's really here.'

Hope smiled, perfectly content; life was better than she could ever have imagined.

WCWCWC

Neal had been forced to sit through the narration of a couple of anecdotes which Peter Burke had taken much too much pleasure in relating, reminding Neal of the true meaning of the term 'roast'.

The longer he sat there, the more uncomfortable Neal became, increasingly sore from his little escapade while scaling the wall. Unfortunately, things were about to get even more uncomfortable for him - in more ways than one.

'Above all' Peter declared. 'Neal is a romantic.'

Neal's reputation on that score preceded him and he cringed as he thought of what Peter was about to reveal about him and his love live. Over the years, the two men had confided in each other about everything from performance anxiety to prowess in the bedroom and Neal braced himself, preparing to be teased.

'And he prides himself on knowing his wife pretty well' Peter continued.

'I do!' Neal shouted over the roar of laughter. 'I know her _very_ well.'

'Well, we've got a few questions here to test you on that very subject. Let's see just how well you _do_ know Sara after twenty-five years of wedded bliss' Peter said. 'Liam is holding in his hands the answers that Sara gave us to questions about your intimate life together.'

Liam stood and did his best impression of Vanna White, arms extended as he showed off the stack of cardboards with the answers Peter had referred to. Neal had been half expecting this all night and he assumed Sara was going through a similar interrogation using the answers he'd provided to Elizabeth. Despite the nagging ache in his groin, he tried to focus, recalling the side bet he'd made with his wife and the expensive dinner in Paris that was riding on which of them got the most correct answers. He was not going down without a fight.

'You know, I was an FBI agent for an awfully long time and when I wanted to get some information out of a suspect, there were certain… techniques I used' Peter explained to the group.

Neal barely had time to put two and two together before Clinton Jones appeared out of nowhere, carrying a floor lamp which he set directly in front of Neal. As if that wasn't enough, he produced a set of handcuffs which he waved provocatively in front of Neal's eyes.

'No way! You're not —'

'Put your hands out, Caffrey' Jones said, sounding very official - and Neal heard an echo from his past in the man's voice.

Neal balked and shook his head as Jones tilted the lamp shade, shining the light directly into his eyes.

'I can cuff 'em behind your back, if you prefer… it's your choice' Clinton said with a smirk as everyone cheered, egging him on.

Chants of 'Cuff him!' were heard throughout the room as Neal sighed and put out his hands, resigned to his fate. Peter and Jones were going to have fun at his expense, no matter what and the best he could do was to give in without a fight and get it over with as soon as possible.

'You know, the faster you answer these questions, the sooner we'll set you free, Neal. I heard a rumour that you had… plans for later on' Peter teased, obviously having way too much fun with the little game.

Neal blinked in the bright light, moving slightly to get it out of his eyes. 'Shoot!' he said.

'I'll go first!' Sam Jordan said, springing to his feet. 'We asked Sara to tell us about your most annoying habit. What do you suppose _she_ said?'

'Oh, my God!' Neal whined. That was a hard one; he'd had to give his own answer to that question and that was hard enough but to have to guess what Sara considered his worst habit - well, there was just so much to choose from. There were the little things like dripping water all over the carpet and there were the bigger things like his inability to reign in his impulses at times. What frame of mind had she been in when she'd answered the question and had she been thinking big picture or minor annoyances?

'Neal!' Peter called out in that very official FBI voice Neal remembered all too well. 'Hurry up, we've only got the room until midnight!'

'I'm going to go with… dripping water on the bedroom carpet after I step out of the shower' he replied after careful consideration.

A loud buzzer was heard resonating from somewhere in the room as Liam held up a large cardboard with the words ' _Clipping toenails on bed_ '

'Damn it!' Neal couldn't help but say.

'Oooooh, that sounds nasty, Neal!' Scott Rivers yelled out as everyone laughed. 'Remind me not to invite you over for a sleepover!'

'I get to ask this next one' Peter said with an eyebrow wag. 'It's about your love life.'

Neal cringed; for all his broadmindedness, he liked to play things pretty close to the vest when it came to his and Sara's sex life, not sharing details easily. He glanced over at Hope's father-in-law whom he didn't know all that well as well as Liam, Cody and Will who looked up to him and he squirmed in his seat.

'According to Sara, where is the most inappropriate place you two have ever made whoopee?' came the question.

'Peter!' Neal complained, indignant. 'My son is sitting right there!'

'Oh no, you don't. You don't get to squirm out of answering this question. Liam is an adult, right Liam?'

'My bedroom at home is directly across from my parents' room; believe me, I've heard it all' Liam replied from the peanut gallery.

Although he and Sara had made out in a number of 'inappropriate' places over the years, surely their little make-out session in the vault at Sterling Bosch took the cake. Admitting the intimate encounter was embarrassing to be sure but if Sara had answered truthfully, it would come out anyway so he might as well take the plunge and admit his indiscretion. At least, he'd get a point for having the right answer.

'Hum…' he began tentative. 'I seem to recall a little clinch at Sara's office once… a long time ago.'

'Can you be a little more precise?' Peter asked, giving him a chance to come clean.

Neal looked around at all the men, waiting expectantly for some dirt they could lord over on him for years to come.

'The recovery room… up on the 38th floor' he murmured meekly.

'What was that, Neal? Did you say the _recovery room_ at Sterling Bosch?' Peter repeated louder with mock surprise. 'Well, that's pretty risqué! Any details you care to share?'

'No!' Neal said louder and with assurance. 'That's all you're going to get.'

Liam held up the piece of cardboard on which the words ' _Recovery room at Sterling Bosch_ ' were written out and the crowd erupted in cheer as a little bell rang out repeatedly, indicating a correct answer.

One for two, Neal thought, wondering how Sara was making out on her end.

'I've got one' Jeff Mason called out. 'Who changes the roll of toilet paper more often in your house, you or Sara?'

Everybody laughed at the innocuous question. This time Neal didn't hesitate and he replied: 'Definitely Sara, she uses a lot more of the stuff, too.'

The little bell was heard and the sound of cheering echoed in the Jones' basement.

Mike Miller got to his feet. 'Neal' he shouted, 'who did Sara say is the better driver between the two of you?'

That was a trick question if ever there was one. Sara was a terrible driver - practically a menace on the road and anybody who spent five minutes with her behind the wheel could attest to that fact. But Sara was in total denial when it came to her inferior driving skills and over time, Neal had learned to shut the hell up on those rare occasions he was in the car and she was doing the driving. If he said _he_ was the better driver, he would probably get the answer wrong and yet, he had his pride to think of, considering his driving skills were eminently better than his wife's. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place - his honour versus getting the right answer.

He struggled for a moment, deciding his pride was more important; God only knew his ego had taken enough of a beating as it was.

'I am _definitely_ the better driver' he declared without hesitation as the expected buzzer was heard and Sara's answer was revealed.

The answer as to whether Sara preferred pancakes or waffles was a no-brainer considering her long standing love affair with Neal's blueberry pancakes. To the question of who was more likely to order dessert after dinner out, he hesitated. Sara never, ever ordered dessert when they were out but she always picked at his, often ingesting more of it than he did while maintaining the dubious distinction of saying she never ordered dessert. Neal decided to take a hit on this one, declaring that he ordered dessert more often - which, of course, was Sara's take on the situation.

By the time the little game was over and he was freed from his shackles, Neal had gotten a total of seven answers right and he wondered if that would be enough to beat his wife and allow him to be treated to dinner out in the city of lights.

WCWCWC

It was past eleven o'clock by the time Neal and Peter arrived at the Burke home to collect Sara. Peter was set to drive them back to their hotel and Neal was looking forward to a much more intimate end to the chaotic evening they'd just had. Despite the grilling he'd been forced to endure, he'd had a great time catching up with friends and family and he could feel the excitement building as he thought ahead to the next day, their long-awaited wedding day.

'So, you still talking to me?' Peter asked as they climbed the steps up to the house.

Neal gave him a flustered look. 'Don't worry, I'll find a way to return the favour.'

'Probably when I least expect it' Peter countered as he opened the front door.

The house was eerily quiet, neither man prepared for the sight of their two wives laid out on the couch, eyes bloodshot and upon closer scrutiny, three sheets to the wind.

'Hi honey!' Elizabeth called out without so much as moving an inch.

'Hi…' Peter replied cautiously as he took in the scene; the living room looked like a hurricane had hit. There were empty glasses and bottles of wine, trays of half-eaten food, a few stray dollar bills on the floor and a lone g-string in the middle of the living room, leaving the obvious question as to how the owner of said item had been divested of it.

'Neal!' Sara called out as she got to her feet rather unsteadily and threw her arms around her husband's neck. 'You're back!'

'Hi' Neal replied with an amused look on his face as he hugged her. 'I'm back.'

'Did you have fun at your… bachelor party?' she asked, slow and methodic as one tends to do when one is trying not to act like one is plastered when one most obviously is.

' _Smashing_ good time' he answered as he gave Peter a wary look. 'I guess I don't have to ask about you guys, huh?'

'Oh, honey, you should have seen it. The strippers were amazing…' she began as Elizabeth came to life on the couch.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!' El shouted, rather exaggeratedly, as she pulled herself to her feet and shook a finger menacingly at her best friend.

'You don't need to tell your…' she stopped suddenly, searching for the right word. '…intended…' she finally shouted as if she'd just gotten a bingo on her card. '… everything. What happens at a hen party stays… inside… the hen party' she concluded rather incoherently.

Peter's eyes widened at the sight of her. He hadn't seen his wife this smashed in a very long time; the stress of the last few weeks must have finally gotten the best of her. Her timing, on the other hand, was less than ideal considering she was set to orchestrate the event of the summer in just a few short hours.

Sara's hair was disheveled, her eyes droopy and she hung on to Neal's neck tightly, a naughty smile on her lips.

'Is it time to go back to our hotel room now?' she asked, eyes unfocussed. 'So I can rip these clothes off your body and show you my…' she began.

Neal's eyes widened and he brought his finger to her lips, urging her to stop right there.

'All right, honey. I don't think Peter and El need to know what you're going to show me' he replied, holding his tipsy wife up against him so she didn't slither to the ground.

'Yes, we do!' El said as Peter gave her a dirty look.

'Look, why don't you… take Sara out to the car and I'll just…' Peter said, pointing in El's direction.

'Right, right' Neal said, looking around the room for Sara's purse. 'We'll wait for you… in the car.'

The trek down the eight steps outside the Burke's front door was considerably more perilous than expected, considering Sara was wearing her signature stiletto heels and Neal was walking like he'd just gotten off a horse, trying to keep his increasingly sore groin from rubbing against the inside of his pant leg.

Once down the steps, he directed her to the car and settled her in the back seat, sliding in next to her.

Sara's eyes grew in the semi-darkness and she looked directly at him, a pout appearing on her lips.

'I'm sorry…' she murmured, her speech slurred.

'Why are you sorry?' Neal smiled as he tried to get her to focus on his face. 'For enjoying your party?'

'I just didn't… I didn't see it coming. There were the tequila shots… and then I had a glass of wine, then another and another…'

'Tequila shots, huh?' Neal repeated, shaking his head in amusement. 'It's okay, Repo. Did you have a good time?' he asked, his voice full of affection.

'Yeah…' she replied dreamily.

'Then, that's all that matters' he said, bringing his arm to rest on the seat behind her and squeezing her shoulder.

There was the mean drunk, the sloppy drunk and then there was Sara Ellis when she over imbibed: a combination of cat-like mewling, unrelenting clinging, languorous gazes and very… busy hands.

She wound her arms around Neal's waist and looked up at him with a goofy smile on her face. 'Did _you_ have fun tonight, Caffrey?' she cooed.

'I had a lot of fun' he replied with a nod as he brought his lips to the top of her head. 'And tomorrow is going to be amazing.'

'Tomorrow…' Sara repeated as if it had just dawned on her that they were getting married in a few hours. 'Oh, no… do you think maybe I… overdid it a little?'

Neal chuckled; it was a little late to be reaching that conclusion.

'It's okay. We'll get you well hydrated and after a good night's sleep, you'll be as good as new' he reassured her.

'After we… you know…' she said with a wink.

'You can say it out loud honey, we're alone now' Neal reminded her with a grin.

'After I lick every inch of your body and you use your mouth to…'

'O-kay…' Neal interrupted with a giggle. 'I didn't mean for you to be so graphic. Let's try to keep the mystery alive, all right?'

She smiled drunkenly at him in reply.

The drive back to Manhattan was quiet as Peter tried his best to concentrate despite his curiosity as to what was going on in the back seat; he could hear Sara moaning hot and heavy while Neal attempted as best he could to keep things g-rated until they got back to their hotel room. Despite his best intentions, Peter's gaze kept returning to the rear view mirror where the couple sat, whispering and cuddling with Sara seemingly unaware - or at least unperturbed - that they had an audience.

'We're getting married tomorrow…' Sara moaned as she ran her hand languidly over Neal's thigh, landing on his overly sensitive groin and giving a loving squeeze. At any other time, such groping might be welcome but considering Neal's earlier mishap and the fact that Peter was within earshot, Neal gave Sara a loving smile and gently removed her hand, kissing her knuckles as she balked at his rebuke.

'I love you, Caffrey' she sighed, her lips landing on his neck and her hands returning to his lap.

'Babe… babe…' Neal murmured with a delicate balance of scolding and indulgence. 'Now, we're _not_ alone.'

Far be it from him to completely kill he mood; after all, Sara was exactly where he'd hoped she'd get to after some serious wooing on his part - but having Peter within earshot was a definite mood-killer and he attempted to walk that tight rope, keeping Sara content and in the zone while not giving his best friend an eye or earful.

'I know…' Sara moaned as she squirmed next to him, practically landing on Neal's lap.

'Sara… sweetheart, look at me' Peter heard Neal whisper lovingly over the sound of the car's engine. Peter not so discretely leaned in to listen - maybe he could pick up a few tips from Romeo in the back seat.

He watched surreptitiously from the rear view mirror as Neal leaned in to whisper in his wife's ear, watching as she giggled in response to whatever he'd said.

She gave her husband a look of pure adulation and lay her head on his shoulder. 'O-kay…' Peter heard her murmur as she settled in next to Neal.

Peter bit his tongue; what he really wanted to do was ask Neal what he'd said to her in order to get that look of pure bliss and simmering lust on his wife's face.

Neal noticed his best friend staring at him in the rear view mirror and Peter coughed nervously as he realized his eavesdropping had been noticed.

'Everything all right back there?' Peter asked innocently.

'Couldn't be better' Neal declared with a devilish grin.

TBC


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

Peter was surprised to find his wife scurrying around the kitchen when he returned from dropping off the lovebirds in Manhattan. Granted, she wasn't moving around at her typically frantic pace or with the same efficiency she usually displayed but she'd managed to collect all the dishes and carry them into the kitchen and she'd lined up all the empty wine bottles by the back door, ready for the recycling bin.

'Hey' he said as he slipped into the kitchen. 'I thought you'd be sound asleep by now.'

'I got my second wind' El replied as she busied herself by the dishwasher.

Peter reached into the refrigerator and poured his wife a tall glass of water. 'Here, you're going to need this.'

She smiled at him through slit eyes. 'Thanks, honey!'

'Why don't you leave all this and go on up to bed? I can finish up down here' Peter offered, rubbing her back.

'I think it's better if I keep moving a little while longer' she confessed. 'But I could use some help.'

Peter began to wrap up some of the leftover food, picking mindlessly at some of his favourites — the bacon mini-quiches and the cheese puffs.

'So… the party got a little rowdy, huh?' he asked as he worked.

'In all fairness, you _did_ warn me about having strippers' she admitted. 'I guess unlimited booze and lap dances are a dangerous combination.'

'Neal's going to have his hands full; Sara was feeling pretty… amorous on the drive over to the hotel' Peter said.

Elizabeth laughed. 'I didn't have the heart to cut her off; she's been so stressed lately and then, she got into the tequila shots and she started to loosen up and, the next thing I knew, I'd kind of lost control of the situation and I just gave up and decided to join them.'

'Well, I'm glad she had a good time; let's just hope she's back to her old self in the morning.'

'So, did everything turn out okay at Clinton's place?' Elizabeth asked.

Peter chuckled to himself as he recalled Neal sitting there, squirming, as he was held captive by department issue cuffs. 'Neal was a good sport… and it was great to spend time with all the guys.'

'I bet he really appreciated you telling the story about how he ran off and hid in the washroom at Dr. Kirkwood's office, huh?' she said.

Peter rolled his eyes. 'It was a big hit' he replied with a laugh. 'Oh, and he really loved it when Jones cuffed him. It was just like… old times.'

Elizabeth sighed as she glanced around the chaos that surrounded them. 'Well, maybe it's a good thing Ken and Ginette insisted on staying at a hotel after all. Look at the state of this place.'

Peter could see the uncertainty on El's face and he moved in closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.

'Honey, you've been working on the wedding for weeks and everything is ready to be rolled out: the backyard is ready, the food is on standby and everybody knows what they're supposed to be doing. There's nothing more you can do. You'll see, all you need is a good night's sleep and everything will be fine.'

'Well, I've deputized Emily and I've put her in charge of keeping an eye on things until I get there in the morning' she confided. 'Everything is all set up and, barring some unforeseen situation like Mozzie doing something crazy…'

'You're kidding, right?' Peter said with a grin. 'Honey, I think Mozzie doing something crazy is pretty well a given… and there's nothing you can do about it, so stop worrying.'

He stopped for a moment, realizing she needed a little more encouragement. 'Honey, it's going to be an amazing day, Neal and Sara are going to be ecstatic and everybody will have a wonderful time, you'll see.'

El's eyes fluttered shut for an instant as the remnants of wine and the fatigue caught up to her. 'Maybe I _will_ take you up on your offer to finish tidying up' she said, sounding exhausted.

Peter kissed her forehead. 'Go on up to bed' he said with a smile. 'I'll be up as soon as I'm done.'

WCWCWC

Sara had begun to sober up somewhat by the time Peter dropped her and Neal off in front of the Four Seasons. They boarded the elevator up to the 50th floor, her hands resuming their groping ways, moving from Neal's hair, down his back, to his butt, stroking and squeezing all accessible parts of his body as she ground herself up against him. It was late, they were alone on the long ride up and they took full advantage of the few seconds of privacy to resume the make-out session they'd started in the car on the way over.

This time, Neal responded eagerly to Sara's overtures, squirming and moving restlessly from one foot to the other as he tried to keep the pressure off his aching groin. Truth was, Sara felt wonderfully warm and pliant in his arms and he was eager to get her up to their room where he'd arranged for some special surprises to cap off their anniversary celebration.

The discreet 'ding' of the elevator interrupted their fervour and they looked into each other's eyes, silently telegraphing their mutual desire, as they reluctantly pulled apart and stepped out into the hotel hallway.

'We're here' Neal whispered as he whisked her off the elevator, taking her hand in his and pulling her along towards their corner room.

He let himself into the room first so he could take a quick glance around; he wanted everything to be perfect when Sara stepped inside. He'd instructed Maurizio to have their anniversary song playing on a loop and he instantly recognized it playing softly in the background as he opened the door. He spotted the lit candles throughout the room, the trail of rose petals and a quick gander towards the bed confirmed that Maurizio had remembered to set out the expensive bottle of cider in the ice bucket alongside some chocolate dipped strawberries.

'Neal…' Sara sighed as she followed him in. 'What… what did you do?'

He beamed like a little kid, thrilled at her reaction. 'Just a few little surprises… to finish up the night.'

'Oh, honey…' Sara cooed, still somewhat tipsy as she glanced around the suite. 'You did all this for me?'

'Of course I did this all for you, it's our anniversary' Neal grinned, pulling her in against his body with a soft moan - which she mistakenly assumed was fuelled by lust and desire.

He began to move his feet to the music - which had the added benefit of keeping his discomfort in check - and he began to sway, feeling Sara relaxing in his arms to the sweet sound of Al Green's voice echoing softly in the room.

'And… that's our song' Sara finally clued in as she latched on to him to keep from losing her footing.

He murmured in her ear. ' _I… I'm so in love with you…_ ' he crooned softly, rocking back and forth and dipping Sara as she giggled.

'I can't believe you did all this' she sighed breathlessly as she let him lead her around the room on his nimble feet.

'It's tradition' he reminded her, swaying to the beat and following the trail of rose petals which, surprisingly, was leading them not towards the bed but rather, towards the bathroom.

'Where are you taking me?' Sara asked with that warm tinge in her voice that always made his heart melt.

'You'll see…' he murmured softly, nibbling on her ear. ' _I want to spend my life… with you-ou-ou…'_

The trail of flower petals led them to the foot of the large tub which had been filled and left at the perfect temperature with rose petals covering the surface of the water. Candles burned all along the edge of the tub and all over the bathroom counter, giving the room a warm glow and Sara noticed a gorgeous bouquet of orchids which hadn't been there earlier.

She laughed heartily at the enchanting sight. 'You've really outdone yourself, Caffrey' she sighed.

'So tell me, are you planning on letting me soak in there all by myself while you use that amazing shower again?' she asked, making fun of his apparent obsession with the rain shower head.

'Not tonight…' he replied seductively. 'You _did_ say it was big enough for two.'

'How did you manage to _do_ all this?' she asked, looking around.

'I had an accomplice' he admitted, pleased with himself. 'So, you like your little surprise?'

'I do… I love it' Sara replied, her voice languorous. 'Thank you, sweetie.'

She held on to his arm to keep from losing her balance and stepped away, awkwardly kicking off her shoes and throwing them in a corner of the room while giving him a crooked smile; those tequila shots still lingering in her veins.

Neal took advantage of the distraction to pull the small box from his pocket and hastily placed it on the edge of the tub while Sara had momentarily turned away.

She spotted it right away but didn't say a thing. Instead, she gave Neal a naughty eyebrow wag. 'You want to help me out of my clothes?' she asked.

'I would _love_ to help you out of your clothes' Neal replied with a leer as he moved around her to tackle the zipper on the back of her dress.

He winced in response to the pain flaring in his groin and this time, Sara couldn't help but notice.

'All right, Caffrey' she finally said. 'Either you had some really bad shrimp or you're in some sort of pain. Now, which is it?'

'I'm fine' he lied with a put-on grin as he moved to stand behind her so she couldn't scrutinize his face quite so much.

Sara wasn't easily fooled and she turned to look at him, the sudden movement causing her to falter as the room continued to spin for a split second.

'Whoa' she said, grabbing onto his arm. 'I guess I'm still a little tipsy.'

'Here, sit down' he suggested, depositing her on the edge of the tub and reaching over to pour her a glass of water.

'Have some of this' he instructed, taking a seat next to her and trying his best, but failing miserably, to withhold an audible groan.

'All right, that's enough. What's going on, Neal?' she asked as she took a nice long sip of water.

'I just… I pulled a muscle, that's all' he confessed, wincing in pain as he sat.

'Doing what?' she asked, her eyes narrowing.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. 'The guys took me rock climbing and I… I just pulled something… it's really nothing.'

'It doesn't look like nothing to me' Sara replied, finishing up her glass of water and getting unsteadily to her feet. 'Where did you hurt yourself?'

He looked sheepishly at her and pointed in the general direction of his groin.

'You're kidding' she moaned. 'Let me see.'

'I'm fine. Come on, let's just get you out of those clothes so we can soak in this perfectly tempered bath before it starts to cool' he coaxed, hoping to distract her.

'I'm drunk Neal, not stupid' she declared as she got down on her knees and began to unbuckle his belt.

'Babe…' Neal whined. 'You're kind of killing the mood, here.'

Despite his temporary affliction, he'd been hoping for a little romance, not a therapeutic examination of his family jewels.

'Just stop being so stubborn and let me take a look' she insisted, opening up his pants and pushing past his underwear to take a peek.

Neal sighed; she was obviously doing this whether he was on board or not. He leaned back as her hand gently grazed the inside of his thigh and he moaned in pain at her soft touch.

'Oh, Neal' she moaned. 'You're all swollen down there… and red.'

'I thought swollen was good' he countered in an attempt at humour.

'Not _that_ kind of swollen, you idiot' she replied without missing a beat. 'Get out of those pants and I'll go get some ice.'

Neal groaned in frustration. 'Noooo. Sara, this is our special night. I'm fine, I can… play through this little glitch… really.'

'This is _not_ a little glitch Neal!' she argued. 'Come on, get out of those clothes. We'll alternate… cold and heat, right? Why don't you soak for a while in the tub and then I'll apply some ice.'

She was getting that obstinate look on her face, the expression she always got whenever an idea popped into her head that was going to be impossible to dislodge - the fact that she was still inebriated only seemed to add to her determination. Neal exhaled, realizing he had to cut his losses - the best he could hope for was to mix business with a little pleasure.

'I'll get in the tub on one condition' he bargained with a grimace. 'That you come with me.'

'Fine' she replied curtly, all prospect of romance seemingly evaporated.

'Honey…' he lamented as he reached for her. 'Come on… how about giving your old man a little TLC, huh?'

She seemed to relax and she smiled at the big kid sitting there. 'How do these things _always_ happen to you, Caffrey?'

He shrugged, hand reaching behind her and tugging on the zipper of her dress. 'Just lucky… I guess.'

WCWCWC

There was a full moon on the night before Sara and Neal's wedding; surely a good omen. Friends and family had come from all over in order to join in the festivities and as they turned in for the night, each one of them had a fleeting thought for the happy couple.

Hope and Cameron fell asleep from sheer exhaustion with baby Jacob, tucked in between them, a blissful smile on all three of their faces. A few miles from the Armstrong home, Moira and Scott Rivers curled up on the tiny couch in their hotel room, watching their four daughters drift to sleep, exhausted from having criss-crossed the big apple on a search for new adventures. The tired parents gave each other a longing look and Scott lovingly caressed his wife's baby bump while Moira lay her head on her husband's shoulder.

Somewhere in Manhattan, Lydia Jordan was busy prying a special dress off a very excited flower girl as she slept and she proceeded to hang it on the hook behind the child's bedroom door before kissing both her daughters goodnight and joining her sleepy husband in bed. Not too far away, Ken and Ginette Murphy sat up in their hotel room bed, admiring the Manhattan skyline before turning out the lights and settling in for a good night's sleep.

Up the street from the Caffrey residence, Donna and Jeff Mason prepared for bed, exchanging stories about their respective parties, Jeff gloating about having beat Neal in an impromptu race and lamenting his lack of good fortune at the card table. Donna just shook her head and kissed her husband goodnight. Four doors down, a tired Raffie slept soundly by the foot of the couch in the Caffrey family room where Caitlin had bunked in for the night while up on the third floor, Emily Ellis-Foster dreamt of her baby sister's special day. Directly underneath her room, a distracted Will Allenby tossed and turned on an air mattress on the floor next to the snoozing best man who had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Not too far away, Cody Miller's last waking thoughts were of young Liam Caffrey while his parents dozed in the bedroom down the hall from him and Ivy Jones returned home to find her husband tidying up the basement. She coaxed him up to bed without having to do much convincing; with the boys at her mother-in-law's for the night, they weren't about to miss out on an opportunity for a little romance.

All was well with the world.

And up in the sky… the cow jumped over the moon.

WCWCWC

Once he'd settled in the bathtub, Neal began to relax, the pain receding temporarily. Sara lay in the tub with her back against his chest, both of them unwinding as they compared notes about their respective parties.

'Peter really cuffed you?' she asked, running her hand up and down Neal's arm.

'Not a word of a lie' he replied. 'And they stuck a lamp in my face like it was some kind of interrogation.'

Sara giggled. 'I would have loved to see it' she sighed. 'With any luck, one of the kids will put it up on you tube.'

Neal grunted in response. 'And I would have loved to see _you_ drooling over those hard bodies gyrating in your face' he said with just a hint of indignation. 'Maybe we'll get so see _that_ on you tube.'

'I was _not_ drooling' she argued, unable to keep a straight face. 'All right… well, maybe just a little.'

Neal squirmed a bit and Sara felt his body tense underneath her. 'How does it feel?'

'Fine' he sighed in frustration. 'As long as I don't move.'

'Oh Neal, stop complaining. It's not the end of the world if we don't have sex tonight.'

Neal pouted, not that she could see his face from where she lay. 'But I was looking forward to it. You were in the zone and…'

She turned to look at him in the tight quarters of the bathtub and gave him a blistering smile. 'Awww, honey, we'll get there, tomorrow or the next night or the night after that. That's the nice thing about commitment, I'm not going anywhere for the next twenty-five years.'

He smiled, seemingly content with her answer. 'I suppose' he muttered. 'But tonight was going to be our special night, we'd been waiting a while to… you know, consummate our relationship.'

She laughed loudly. 'Consummate our relationship?' she repeated, incredulous. 'Honey, I think that train left the station almost thirty years ago.'

'What? Has it really been that long?' Neal said, thinking back to their very first roll in the hay, all those years ago.

'Yeah, that's about right. Of course back then, it wasn't much more than just a little fun' she reminded him as he squeezed her tight.

'A conman and an insurance investigator…' he mused. 'I wonder what kind of odds they would've given us in Vegas.'

Sara chuckled. 'Not very good ones, that's for sure' she said as his arms tightened around her.

Neal's mind seemed to wander and he lay eyes on his gift for her, still lying untouched by the edge of the tub. 'You know, you've shown amazing restraint, not asking me about that little box' he declared.

'I know…' she replied with a devilish grin. 'Would this be an appropriate time to mention it?'

Neal brought his lips to kiss her neck, lingering just to keep her waiting a little longer. 'In a minute' he moaned as she gently elbowed him in the ribs.

'All right, all right' he said, reaching over for the gift and holding it in his hands.

'I wanted to get you something special' he began, his voice soft. '… so you would know just how much you and the kids mean to me.'

He grew quiet and Sara knew he was getting sentimental; her husband was a very romantic guy and his gifts were always meaningful - why would this one be any different?

She pulled his arms tightly around her and sighed. 'I know… how you feel about me, Caffrey. You never have to worry about a gift to show me just how much.'

'Still…' he continued. 'I love you… so much and when I think about you and our wonderful life, our incredible kids, what we've built together… everything we've been through to get here.'

Sara turned so she could see his face, noticing his eyes, full of emotion. She kissed him and he held her gaze for a moment, just staring at her in the dimly lit room.

'After what happened that night…' he began, his voice growing quiet.

'Neal, don't…' she interrupted. 'That's ancient history. You really need to let it go, I've totally forgiven you for what happened.'

'I can't, though. I'll never forget the look of hurt and betrayal in your eyes that night. I never _want_ to forget it… I never want to hurt you like that again.'

'Neal…' Sara said, her hand reaching out to cup his face.

'I always want to remember that we somehow got past it and that you forgave me' Neal replied, his voice tight with emotion.

'Honey, everybody makes mistakes and you weren't well, back then. It doesn't take away from the amazing man you are and it doesn't negate all the wonderful years we've had, facing everything life throws at us… together. You gave me two wonderful kids… and now, we have little Jacob… Neal, you've given me so much more than I ever could have imagined and I love you for making my dreams come true' Sara said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Neal swallowed down the emotion and held out the box as Sara settled back in his arms, her eyes moving to peek inside as he held it open for her.

She gasped as she saw the beautiful ring, its significance not lost on her. Besides being a gorgeous piece of jewelry, it represented their life over the past twenty-five years, their history as a family.

'Oh, my God!' she murmured as Neal lifted the ring out of the box and held it in his hand.

She began to examine it, recognizing the various stones displayed between the rows of emeralds. In the candlelit room, the gems shone as the light hit them just so.

'You added Caitlin' she realized, pointing. 'And… is this Jacob?'

'Yeah, that's what I had to do yesterday… one last minute addition to the family.'

'What are these two little…' Sara asked as it suddenly dawned on her what the two smaller diamonds represented.

Neal finished her thought. 'I know that they're always there, in the back of our minds and it… it didn't seem right not to include them.'

Tears began to flow down Sara's cheeks at the realization of what Neal had done, including the two babies they'd lost on their long trek through life together.

The tears morphed into soft sobs as Neal took her right hand and slipped the ring on - a perfect fit. He brought her finger up to his lips, kissing it softly.

'This way, we'll always be with you. Even when we can't physically be there' he said, his voice quiet.

'Neal, this is the most amazing gift you've ever given me' she said, her voice trembling. 'And the emeralds… you know I'm a sucker for emeralds.'

'It'll match your wedding ring' he commented, taking the naked ring finger of her left hand and bringing it to his lips. 'I can't wait to slip it back on your finger tomorrow.'

'Oh, and I almost forgot' Neal said, reaching for the new ring and tugging it gently off her finger. 'I had it inscribed.'

He held it up for her to see and Sara squinted in an effort to read the inside of the ring; without her glasses and the benefit of good lighting, it was impossible for her to see what had been inscribed.

Neal laughed; he knew all too well the frustration of not being able to read without those damn reading glasses.

'I'll put you out of your misery' he said, running his hand lovingly along the inside of the ring. 'It says _'This is our happily ever after'_

Sara let out a rather unladylike sob and her body shook as Neal held her tight against him.

'You're right' she cried as he slipped it back on. 'Our family… it's everything, isn't it?'

Neal nodded and brought his lips to rest on the top of her head.

They sat for a long while, neither of them moving - or speaking - with Sara holding up the ring every few seconds in order to continue admiring it.

'Neal…' she finally said after several minutes of silence.

'Yeah?'

'You know, we're going to fall asleep if we don't get out of this tub soon' she stated. 'And besides, I need to ice your family jewels.'

Neal chuckled; so much for romance. 'Aww, baby…' he said, stifling a laugh. '…you've never sounded sexier.'

'Plus, I left your anniversary gift by the bed next to that expensive bottle of cider and I really want to dive into those chocolate covered strawberries. Godiva?' she asked.

'Only the best for my girl' Neal replied.

She turned to look at her husband, her voice full of emotion. 'I am so, so lucky to have you in my life, Neal Caffrey.'

'Well, if you want to make me happy, you just make sure you're waiting for me at the altar tomorrow afternoon.'

TBC


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

'Blondie?' Caitlin heard Will's soft voice call out.

She opened one eye, squinting at the soft light and noticing the sun was just starting to come up over the horizon. It took her a moment to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, specifically why she was sleeping on the hide-a-bed in the family room instead of her own bed and why Will Allenby was standing before her, looking dishevelled and sexy as all hell.

'What time is it?' she asked, rubbing her eyes.

'It's six thirty' he murmured. 'Move over.'

Caitlin did as he asked, scooting over to make room for him on the bed.

'I just wanted a few minutes alone with you before all hell breaks loose around here' Will whispered.

His arms were instantly around her, his warm body up against hers and his lips… well, they were looking for somewhere to land and they moved impatiently from her neck to behind her ear where they lingered, his breathing almost instantly growing intense.

Caitlin shivered, feeling his warm breath on her neck and she let her arms reach around him as he pulled her in tightly against him.

'I don't think Mr. C would approve of us curling up together in bed' Caitlin reminded him.

'Well, Mr. C isn't here right now and what he doesn't know won't hurt him… just this once' he replied as he leaned in to place a probing kiss on her lips.

She was all for bending the rules if it meant cozying up in bed with Will Allenby.

'How did you sleep?' she asked when he finally came up for air.

'As well as one can sleep on an air mattress' he replied. 'And for a twenty-year-old, Liam snores like an old man… must be genetic. You?'

'I kept reminding myself you were upstairs and wishing you'd come down here and join me' she confessed with a coy smile.

He smiled. 'Well, I'm here now' he whispered, his lips returning to hers.

His hands began to roam and Caitlin pulled away; she'd just begun to make headway with Liam and she didn't want to blow it by having him come downstairs and find them together. After all, Liam was the one who'd put his neck out on the line and asked his dad if Will could stay; they both needed Liam in their corner if they wanted this arrangement to work.

'Will…' she began, half-heartedly as she pulled away.

'Uh, huh' he replied, pulling her closer.

'I don't think this is a good idea' she murmured, trying to get a good look at his eyes.

He scoffed; deep down he knew she was right but it didn't mean he had to like it. 'I miss you, Blondie' he moaned.

'We'll… we'll find some time to be together but if we want Sara and Mr. C to let you stay here, we have to behave. Or at least, discuss this with them before we… do anything they wouldn't approve of.'

Will let himself fall on his back, pulling Caitlin along with him but resisting the call of her luscious mouth.

'Fine' he said with resignation. 'How about we just lie here and hold each other for a minute then?'

Caitlin nodded. 'That sounds good.'

There was silence in the quiet house; Raffie got up to lap at his water bowl before returning to his original spot at their feet and letting himself fall with a loud thud.

'Have you thought again about reaching out to your dad?' Caitlin asked as she mindlessly drew circles on Will's chest.

'No… he needs time to cool off' Will replied. 'But I don't think he'll ever come around to my way of thinking. My mom texted me, though. She's pretty upset but she hasn't managed to make any headway with him.'

'Will, are you sure? I mean, are you ready to give up a relationship with your father for good… for this?'

Will scoffed. 'I told you. I feel like I've finally seen the light. The more I think about a career in medicine, the more excited I get - and believe me, I haven't been this excited about school in two years. This is the right thing for me and if my dad can't see that, then I need to find a way to make it happen without his support.'

There was silence in the house, except for the heavy breathing of the dog who snoozed nearby.

'It won't be easy to go it alone, you know' she reminded him.

'I've already applied for a student loan and if I can pick up a few more shifts at the store, I can scrounge enough to get a small place, maybe a room in a boardinghouse nearby…'

Silence resumed. Obviously, emotions were still raw and there wasn't much more to say on the topic.

'So, how was the party last night?' Will asked, forcing his mind away from the painful subject.

Caitlin laughed. 'Elizabeth had hired some strippers to do the food service' she began as Will chuckled.

'Really?'

'And Sara got smashed' she added.

'No way!' Will replied with a giggle.

'I swear, you should have seen her, tucking dollar bills down the strippers' g-strings and practically putting her face up in their crotch' she said with a grimace.

'Do you think that's cause for divorce?' Will asked with a chuckle.

Caitlin smiled. 'Naw, knowing Mr. C, he'd forgive her anything; he'll probably just think it's funny. What happened with you guys?'

'Liam did his thing and Mr. Burke tried his best to embarrass Mr. Caffrey. It was fun, good food, lots of laughs. Everybody had a good time. Oh, and I found out Mr. and Mrs. Caffrey did the nasty at Mrs. Caffrey's office.'

'What?' Caitlin shouted a little too loudly.

There was a small creaking noise above their heads and she sat up in a panic. 'Did you hear that?' she asked as Will sprung to his feet and readjusted his clothes.

Caitlin abruptly resumed her previous position, pretending to snooze under the blankets and Will moved to the kitchen, searching the cupboards on a bogus hunt for coffee. Their little interlude had been rudely interrupted and they'd reacted just in time considering Emily was suddenly standing there between the kitchen and family room, glancing from Will and back to Caitlin, apparently none the wiser.

'Good morning' she called out. 'Is there any coffee?'

WCWCWC

'It's 6:53' Neal announced as he lay on his back, gazing up at his new pocket watch.

There was a meek grumbling sound from Sara's side of the bed as she turned away and placed a pillow over her head, not quite ready to face the new day.

Like a kid with a new toy, Neal had tucked his anniversary present under his pillow after admiring it for a good long while before falling asleep. Once they'd finally extricated themselves from the warm, comfy bathtub, they had made their way to the bed - well, actually, Neal had hobbled over to the bed; now, that he'd 'fessed up about his little mishap, there was no reason for pretence. Sara had used the ice from the champagne bucket to ice his nuts, providing welcome relief as they curled up in bed with their glasses of makeshift champagne.

Sara had gotten the munchies and dove into the delicious chocolate covered strawberries, feeding small bites to Neal as they compared notes about their respective parties. For the second time that night, he'd been outdone; Sara had pulled off an impressive nine correct answers to his seven and hence, had won a lavish, likely overpriced, dinner at his expense in an upscale Paris restaurant.

The large king size bed was luxuriously comfortable and the bedding very high end - not a surprise really, but certainly something to be enjoyed. The couple had settled in for a nice long cuddle and Sara had reached over and placed a beautifully wrapped gift right in front of Neal's eyes. The gift wasn't totally unexpected, considering his watch had got wonky as of late, but he hadn't anticipated such an elaborate timepiece, simple yet elegant - just what he hadn't known he wanted. The casing was gorgeous with just the right amount of embellishment - masculine yet ornate in a classic sort of way.

Neal turned the watch over and squinted to read the inscription, his fingers lingering on the raised lettering. Without his reading glasses, he couldn't make it out but he'd memorized it, repeating it several times as he'd drifted off to sleep.

' _I love you every minute of every day, Sara'_ it read, followed by the date of their anniversary.

He murmured it under his breath before noting the time once again.

'Babe… 6:58!' he exclaimed, still admiring the new watch.

She opened an eye, peeking over at him and noticing that look of childlike excitement on his face. 'Great! I've created a monster' she moaned.

'I love it' he murmured, not even looking at her. 'Especially this little window here for night and day… see the sun's coming up' he added, pointing as Sara grunted.

'I'm glad you got one that closes up like this' he continued, undaunted.

Sara let her eyes flutter shut again. 'It's called a full hunter —' she began as he frowned.

'I _know_ what it's called' he replied, annoyed that she would have such little faith in his knowledge of the history and types of pocket watches.

'I stol—' he stopped, immediately correcting himself. 'I _had_ one back in the day - came from some French duke, the Duke of Brissac, I think' he said, eyes still admiring the timepiece.

Sara chuckled. 'So, do you think they'll be waiting at the airport in Paris to arrest you?'

'No. I… _acquired_ it in Switzerland, the guy had been vacationing there' he explained as Sara rolled her eyes, once again aware of her lingering hangover '…and it was over thirty-five years ago, so I think I'm good.'

'How's your head feeling this morning?' he asked, noticing the frown on her face.

'Ugh… What about the crown jewels?' she asked, pointing to his sleep pants.

'Better. Thanks for last night, heat and ice were just what I needed' he said, taking the watch and placing it on the bedside table.

He turned to face her and she let out a sigh, one of those sighs of perfect contentment.

'Happy wedding day, Repo' Neal murmured as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

She smiled back at him, taken by the look of pure adoration on his face. 'Happy wedding day, Caffrey' she repeated languidly.

'The weather's perfect' Neal said as he pointed towards the window. 'See… I told you there was nothing to worry about.'

Sara laughed. 'Yes, you did, oh wise husband' she replied, leaning in to kiss him deeply. 'You're always right… I don't know why I ever doubt you.'

The words were spoken with such sincerity, Neal couldn't tell if she was humouring him or not but frankly, he didn't care and he let his hand linger down her leg and he reached around to squeeze her buttocks, noticing she wasn't wearing any underwear.

'What time is your appointment?' Neal asked, his voice growing rough.

It was obvious his mind had wandered to the prospect of a little romance before they headed out and from the look on her face, Sara seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

'Nine…' she replied, her hand lingering up his chest. 'What time is Peter picking you up?'

'Nine thirty…' he murmured, still gazing at her longingly.

Their lips met briefly. 'What are we going to do with our last couple of hours in this room' Neal sighed.

'I don't know…' Sara replied naughtily.

Neal let out a soft moan and laced his arms more tightly around his wife. He scooted closer, his hips thrusting forward against Sara's body.

'Are you sure little Georgie and his sidekicks are up for it?' she teased.

Neal scoffed. 'You know I hate it when you call him that' he complained as Sara laughed.

'Sorry…' Sara said with a mischievous grin.

'Right, you look _really_ contrite' Neal said with mock annoyance. 'Lucky for you, I'm prepared to take the high road.'

He thrusted forward once more and let out a groan, a perplexing mix of pain and pleasure.

'What about your…' Neal began, referring to her new accessory.

He knew Sara was nervous about putting any pressure on her pacemaker - probably an irrational fear but nonetheless, something she needed to work through, at least until she got comfortable with it. He, on the other hand, would need to tread gently if he didn't want to exacerbate the lingering strain on his groin.

Sara reached down and pulled his sleep pants down delicately as he smiled back, obviously on board with her… intentions.

'Scoot up' she suggested as Neal slipped up the bed and sat up against the headboard in the quiet room. Sara grinned and climbed up onto his lap gingerly, mindful of his injury.

'How about like this?' she murmured, her voice breathless as she came into contact with his nether regions and let out a loud sigh.

Neal bit his bottom lip as she grazed his family jewels and she wasn't sure whether his reaction was pain or pleasure. When she attempted to pull away, he brought his hands to her hips and pulled her in, adjusting her position slightly and exhaling loudly - question answered.

'It's just a little tender' he admitted, batting his eyelashes like a debutante. 'Be gentle with me' he teased, running his hands up and down her buttocks languidly.

Their lips met, the sound of their breathing growing louder and Neal's hands began to move on her body, deftly pushing up, then removing the pretty silk nightie she's slipped on the night before.

He threw it off the bed without as much as a second thought and he gently ran his fingers over her breastbone where the protrusion remained obvious to the naked eye.

'Does that hurt, baby?' he asked tenderly, his lips moving to gently to kiss that spot just above her left breast.

'Noooo' she moaned as she threaded her hands through Neal's hair and began brushing up against him more forcefully.

Neal's eyes returned to look at her face, noticing her eyes half lidded as she let out a groan and arched back, enjoying the delightful pressure in all the right places.

'What about you? Does this hurt?' she asked, hoping to hell she wouldn't have to stop the movement of her hips against her husband's body.

Neal moaned, the pleasure definitely eclipsing any lingering pain.

'No. Feels good' he breathed his hands cupping her breasts and his mouth returning to explore her taut nipples.

They were both damaged and broken and yet, in that moment they found a way to make it work, their discomfort and pain forgotten as they found pleasure and release in each other's arms.

WCWCWC

'Where's Sara?' Peter asked as he stepped into the hotel suite and began to poke around, as always, inquisitive.

'She had an appointment to have her make-up done in the salon downstairs' Neal responded, managing to refrain from adding the words _'you snoop' -_ words that were nonetheless right on the tip of his tongue.

Peter nodded and began to walk around the room, spying the remnants from the night before: the rose petals littering the suite, the empty bottle in the champagne bucket, half eaten strawberries on the bedside table and… what looked to be some very messy sheets on the oversized bed.

'So… how were _things_ when you got back?' Peter asked, curious. 'Was Sara all right?'

Neal knew Peter well enough to know that his question was code for _did you guys get it on?_

'We managed…' Neal replied cryptically as he finished collecting his things. 'How's El feeling this morning?'

'She's fine, I dropped her off at your place at 8:00 and the caterers were already driving up' Peter said, picking up the pocket watch on the bedside table and examining it.

'What's this?' he asked as he turned it over and noticed the inscription.

Neal got a very smug look on his face. 'Sara's wedding gift' he replied with a grin.

'Nice!' Peter said. 'So, did she like the ring?'

'She loved it' Neal said as he stuffed the last of his clothing in his suitcase.

There was a soft knock on the door and Neal walked across the room, thrilled to find his beautiful daughter, his grandson and his sister-in-law, standing on the other side. Emily's arms were loaded up with a couple of garment bags and the two women peeked past Neal to look inside the suite.

'Hi Daddy' Hope said with a wide smile.

'Hey!' Neal called out, thrilled to see them. 'How are you?'

He kissed his daughter hello and Hope looked over his shoulder, noticing her uncle Peter lurking behind.

'Hi Uncle Peter!' she called out, stepping into the room.

Neal gave Emily a kiss on the cheek and he relieved her of the garment bags, placing them on the nearby couch as Peter gave his goddaughter a kiss hello.

'Welcome back to New York, Emily' Neal said.

Neal's eyes were instantly drawn to his sleeping grandson and he looked longingly at his daughter, silently telegraphing his desire to hold him.

'Would you like to hold him for a minute, Dad?' Hope asked as he nodded enthusiastically.

He hadn't seen his grandson since their visit to Brooklyn on Friday and he happily took him from Hope's arms, gently cradling him against his chest.

'Hello, little man' he whispered as he brought his lips to his forehead and deposited a tender kiss.

Emily and Hope exchanged furtive glances; Hope had just won a friendly wager, having predicted that her dad would ask to hold the baby within thirty seconds of their arrival - Emily had bet against it, predicting he would hold back for at least a minute. Hope winked knowingly at her aunt; there was a venti caramel brulée crème Frappuccino coming her way.

'Hi Peter' Emily called out, looking away from her niece. 'So, did you guys survive last night all right?'

Peter grinned. 'From what I saw when I got home, things were a lot rowdier at your party than they were at ours.'

Emily chuckled. 'So how was Sara feeling this morning?' Emily asked, turning to look at her brother-in-law.

'She _felt_ great when she got up' Neal said with an insidious smile, the fleeting image of his wife writhing up against Georgie and his sidekicks flashing in his mind.

Neal's eyes returned to the sleeping infant. 'How's he been sleeping?' he asked, without turning his gaze away.

'Great… during the day' Hope replied with a sigh. 'He seems to be turned around and he's more awake overnight.'

'That's normal' Neal said. 'You'll see, it'll just take a few days for him to get into a routine.'

Peter coughed nervously; he loved Hope and he already loved little Jacob but he wasn't as comfortable around newborns as his ex-CI. He suddenly became aware that time was ticking away; El would kill him if he didn't get Neal to the wedding on time.

'Neal' he interrupted. 'We really should get going. Liam's meeting us over at my place in an hour.'

'Right, right' Neal muttered, kissing his grandson again. 'Bye bye, baby boy. See you later' he cooed as he reluctantly handed him back to his mom.

'Bye, sweet pea' he added, kissing the top of Hope's head. 'Try to keep Mom from getting too uptight. I ordered some champagne for you guys to be delivered in about an hour.'

He grabbed for his suitcase and added. 'But don't let her overdo it… even if she's nervous.'

'Don't worry Dad' Hope said. 'We'll get her there in one piece. Right, Aunt Emily?'

Emily gave him a salute. 'We've got this, Neal. You go get ready.'

Neal gave one last longing look around the suite; it had been a wonderful two days, lounging around and enjoying themselves in the lap of luxury.

'All right' he said as he followed Peter out.

WCWCWC

Although everything was running perfectly on schedule, Elizabeth Burke couldn't help but fret. It was her job as event planner to anticipate any last minute problems and to avoid any potential complications and, if anything, she took her responsibilities very seriously.

She walked through the Caffreys' backyard for the umpteenth time, finding little issues to resolve, moving things one way only to change them back to the way they'd been on her next run through. She was followed by Caitlin who was taking notes of all those little scheduling details Elizabeth was terrified of forgetting. Luckily, this time around, El wasn't in the wedding party, giving her the freedom to concentrate on all those little things that might - and would undoubtedly - go wrong.

The most unpredictable issue had been the weather and in that, they had been blessed. There was no precipitation in the forecast for the next few days and that, in and of itself, was a huge relief considering ninety percent of the planned activities were happening outdoors. Her second worry, which was just as unnerving as the first, was Mozzie - he was a loose cannon and despite their run through on the previous Thursday, there was no way of knowing if he would stick to the script or go rogue. Or not show up at all… she thought, as she let out a huge gasp.

'What's wrong?' Caitlin asked.

'Nothing, nothing' Elizabeth replied, absent-minded. 'Oh, and I need somebody to check the popcorn machine at around 7:30 just before we start the movie for the kids and make sure it's ready to go.'

'Got it' Caitlin replied as she jotted down the information.

'Mrs. Burke!' she heard, coming from the house where Will stood in the doorway. 'The candy guy is here.'

'Okay Will. Tell him to come out here' she directed as she sighed, that familiar knot in her stomach clenching tightly.

If she wasn't a total wreck it usually meant that she was doing something wrong; years of experience had taught her that when she agonized, she always hosted a very successful event.

She gave silent thanks for that knot in her stomach and turned to greet the candy man.

WCWCWC

Sara sat in the chair at the salon, staring back at herself in the mirror. She hadn't planned on doing anything special with her hair but Sandy had convinced her to wear it in a soft chignon and she'd added a perfectly matched hairpiece at the nape of her neck held by a beautiful bridal comb. She looked spectacular and she sighed as she studied herself in the mirror. The make-up was flawless, drawing out the green in her eyes and she began to feel a flutter in her stomach at the thought of standing with Neal in front of their friends and family, reciting their wedding vows to one another.

'Sandy, this is… it's so much more than what I imagined. I look…'

'Radiant!' Sandy declared, as she fiddled with some last minute adjustments to the comb.

'I don't know how to thank you… for everything.'

'It's my job' the young woman said with a smile.

'No, I mean… for _everything_ ' Sara said with emphasis. 'What you confided in me the other day… well, it meant a lot to me. I've been really self-conscious about this…'

She fiddled with touching her scar as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

'Mrs. Caffrey, you are an amazing woman. I want you to stand before everyone today with the knowledge that nothing has changed, you are still the same incredible woman you were before your surgery.'

Sara swallowed, feeling emotions rising in her chest. 'Thank you, Sandy. You're pretty incredible yourself' she said, getting to her feet.

The two women hugged, careful not to muss her make-up or hair and Sara laughed nervously as she prepared to leave.

Sandy, the hair stylist gave her a thumbs up and watched the bride leave with a relieved look on her face. Her job was complete.

WCWCWC

'Look at you!' Neal said as he stepped into the guest room of the Burke house to find his son standing there checking himself out in the full length mirror.

'Hey Dad!' Liam replied with a warm smile.

'You look amazing, buddy. Wait until Cody gets a look at you!'

'It feels… weird but it _looks_ good' Liam admitted as he fiddled with his tie.

'Here, let me do that' Neal said, standing to face his son.

Neal was a couple of inches shorter than Liam, just the perfect height to adjust his tie and fiddle with his pocket square so it was just so. He adjusted the tie clip, admiring it and glancing down at the cufflinks which were peeking out from his suit sleeves.

'Those look great' he commented.

'I love them, Dad. Thanks again for getting them for me' Liam said, touching his shirt cuffs nervously.

Neal smiled and reached over to grab Liam's boutonnière from the dresser. He began to fasten it to his lapel when a thought struck him.

'Maybe the next time I do this will be for your wedding day' he said, searching his son's eyes.

'I suppose… not quite there yet, though' Liam replied.

'That's okay. Everything in its own time' Neal commented. 'You know, Liam, I'm really proud of you. Proud of the man you've become…'

'Oh no, you don't' Liam said, seeing the emotion in his dad's eyes.

'Hey! It's _my_ wedding day. I get to say and do whatever I want' Neal reminded him. 'And it's important for me that you know just how proud I am… I know it's not an easy road… being a gay man and I… well, I think you're handling yourself with grace and dignity and I couldn't be prouder of you.'

Liam shrugged; he hated having attention drawn to himself but, that being said, his dad's approval had always been important to him and he couldn't deny that the words Neal was speaking meant a lot to him.

'I had a couple of great models, you and Mom… you're amazing parents and I never felt for one minute that you didn't love me or support me in everything I did' he said, his voice slightly unsteady.

Neal's eyes filled with tears and the next thing he knew, the two men were hugging, careful not to mess up their fragile orchid boutonnières.

'I love you, son' Neal murmured in his ear as the hug lingered.

'Love you too, Dad' came the response as they pulled away and looked at each other, Neal wiping a tear from his cheek.

'Guys!' came Peter's unmistakeable voice from downstairs. 'It's time to get going!'

TBC


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

'So, how's everything going with the baby?' Emily asked her niece as they sat side by side in the hotel suite, awaiting Sara's return.

Hope's eyes remained glued to her son; she couldn't get enough of staring at him. 'It's been incredible. Even better than I'd imagined. And even though we're both focussed on the baby, it feels like Cam and I are even closer than before… if that makes any sense.'

Emily smiled and brought her hand to touch the baby's tiny hand as he nursed in his mother's arms.

'It makes _perfect_ sense' Emily said softly. 'The two of you share this little guy and it's a bond you'll have for the rest of your lives.'

The baby sighed and pulled away and Hope expertly moved him over to her other breast as he resumed nursing without so much as a peep.

'Well, you seem to have the magic touch' Emily added.

'I don't know about that' Hope sighed. 'He's a pretty easy baby and so far, he sleeps most of the time and he only cries when he's hungry or if he needs his diaper changed.'

Emily had never had children of her own although she'd helped raise her step-daughter following her marriage to Mike Foster. Now that her husband was gone, she remained in touch with the young woman, although they lived in different cities and now that Sophie had a family of her own, they didn't see each other more than once or twice a year.

She thought back to the e-mail that had arrived so unexpectedly just days before Christmas, nine years earlier. How her heart had stopped as she'd read the short message from Sara, asking if Emily would be willing to get in touch with her. After almost thirty years apart, she'd practically given up on ever finding her baby sister and upon receiving the message, Emily had immediately reached for the phone, her heart full to overflowing as she'd heard her sister's voice after all those years.

Their reunion had come about as a result of Neal's dogged determination to locate her and, upon meeting him, Emily had instantly fallen for her brother-in-law's undeniable charm. He was a wonderful man with a heart of gold and she'd been thrilled to know that Sara had found happiness after their less than ideal childhood. Now, she had the unexpected pleasure of having a family again and she glanced down at baby Jacob as he drifted off to sleep.

Emily sighed. 'You know, I wasn't there for your mom when she got married the first time' she confided to her niece. 'I'm so happy to be here for her today.'

Hope looked over at her aunt with a warm smile. 'And I know how happy she is to have you here. When I was little, she used to cry every summer on the anniversary of the day you disappeared and Dad would sit and hold her hand and try to convince her to let him look for you. But she wasn't ready back then and she kept telling him not to go looking… I think she was afraid she'd find out that something had happened to you and she wanted to keep believing that you were safe somewhere.'

'Well, luckily your dad didn't give up on finding me' Emily said.

'I remember the day Mom found out he'd been looking for you behind her back. She was so angry at him. She stormed out of the house and ran over to Aunt Elizabeth's place. She couldn't believe he'd gone against her wishes.'

Emily listened intently; she'd never heard this part of the story.

'Dad finally convinced her that it was better to know what had happened to you and to make peace with it and in the end, Mom went to Canada with him and she was there when they finally found out you were living in Europe.'

Emily sighed; she felt so fortunate to have been given a second chance.

The quiet click of the door being unlocked was heard and the two women looked up expectantly as the door opened and Sara came into view, looking a vision - despite the fact she was wearing a pair of slacks and a t-shirt.

'Oh my God!' Hope said as she looked up at her mother. 'You look amazing, Mom!'

Sara beamed back; despite her recent insecurities, she was feeling beautiful and she couldn't wait to stand in front of Neal and tell him just how much she loved him and how lucky she was to have him in her life.

'Hey, you two!' she called out. 'Are you ready to come to my wedding?'

WCWCWC

Neal sat alongside Peter and Liam on the way back to White Plains, his legs bouncing up and down as he tried to contain the nervous energy that was bursting to get out.

'You okay?' Peter asked, glancing towards him.

'Yeah, fine' Neal replied breathlessly - and rather unconvincingly. 'The rings…'

'Got 'em right here' Peter reassured him, gently tapping the pocket of his suit jacket.

'Okay…' Neal said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a sheet of paper.

'Dad, you've been looking at that thing all morning. It's fine, believe me. You're ready.'

'Right…' Neal said, folding up the piece of paper on which he'd written his wedding vows and tucking it back into his jacket pocket. It took a whole three seconds for him to reach back in and pull it out again and this time, he began to look it over, mumbling to himself.

'Do you think this part here about… you know, what happened before… is it too… like should I maybe —'

'Neal, stop worrying. It's fine. Your vows are _perfect_ the way they are' Peter said, trying to reassure him, seemingly without much success.

'Yeah Dad, relax' Liam echoed from the back seat. 'This is Mom we're talking about, she's a sure thing, okay.'

'It's just that, what if —'

'Neal! Stop it. Just look into Sara's eyes and talk to her like you always do, tell her how you feel' Peter suggested - easier said than done.

'Right…' Neal said again, his legs beginning to bounce up and down again as he looked out the window of the car.

'What about the gifts for the guests?' he asked, turning to look at Peter.

'Neal, El has taken care of _everything_. All you have to do is show up, stand next to Sara, look into her eyes, tell her how you feel and then enjoy having everybody around you while you celebrate.'

'Dad, you could look at Mom and tell her the sky is red and she'd still fawn all over you' Liam reminded him.

Neal laughed nervously and sighed as Peter glanced at Liam in the rear view mirror. He'd never seen Neal quite this nervous before - even at his first wedding.

'Maybe I should check on Sara, see how she's doing' Neal said as he pulled out his phone.

Peter grabbed it from his hand, keeping one hand on the wheel.

'You'll do no such thing. Now, stop it, you're being ridiculous.'

'Oh, _I'm_ being ridiculous' Neal said, glancing at his buddy and reclaiming his phone.

Despite his best friend's advice, Neal began to type something into his phone. Liam and Peter exchanged looks; there was no way to stop Neal Caffrey once he decided to give in to his impulses and if it involved his feelings for his wife… well, all bets were off.

WCWCWC

Sara looked down at her phone as the text message from Neal came through.

' _I love you so much, Repo. Will you marry me?_ ' he'd written with a bunch of heart emoticons and some kisses.

She laughed out loud and looked up just in time to see Hope step out of the bathroom, looking stunning in a gorgeous dress she'd only seen her wear once before - at her stag do.

'Oh, honey…' she said, her breath hitching. 'You look beautiful.'

Hope smiled and twirled on herself. 'I am so happy I don't have to wear that monstrosity of a muumuu I had picked out.'

'Honey, it was a perfectly beautiful dress… for a maternity dress' Sara reminded her.

'Well, I'm just glad to be able to go back to my regular clothes' Hope commented. 'Luckily, this one has just enough wiggle room to accommodate my baby fat' she added, patting her belly.

'All right, Sara' Emily said, getting to her feet. 'It's your turn.'

Sara stood and giggled nervously as she walked over to the closet, reaching for the garment bag that held her dress. She'd had such a hard time deciding which dress to choose and she'd finally gone with the one she'd first fallen in love with - even though it exposed the area where her pacemaker was visible under the skin of her breastbone. Following her little visit to the salon, she was feeling fearless and she prepared to zip open the bag, noticing a small piece of paper had been pinned to the bag just where the zipper closed.

She narrowed her eyes, recognizing Neal's handwriting but without the benefit of her glasses, she couldn't read the message.

'What is it Mom?' Hope asked.

'I think it's a note from your dad' Sara replied as she pulled her arm back to get a better look.

Hope was instantly by her side, reading out loud what was written in Neal's tidy handwriting.

' _You're going to look beautiful no matter what's in here. I love you. Neal xx'_

Sara half laughed, half cried; he'd known just how much she'd agonized about her choice and he'd found a way of letting her know that he didn't care what she wore, as long as she was happy.

So sweet… and so Neal.

'You know, your dad is the most romantic guy in the world' Sara said to Hope as she wiped her eyes. 'And if this keeps up, I'm going to ruin my make-up.'

Emily chuckled and took her sister's arm. 'Come on, sis. Let's get you dressed. Your knight in shining armour is waiting for you.'

WCWCWC

There was nothing more that could be done. Everything was in place for an amazing party and at 1:20, Elizabeth Burke headed upstairs to Neal and Sara's bedroom to change into the dress she'd chosen for the occasion. Peter had texted to let her know he was on his way with the groom and best man and Sara would be arriving shortly thereafter with her maid of honour and her sister in tow. Guests would be starting to pour in any minute and Will and Caitlin had volunteered to act as the welcoming committee, greeting guests as they arrived and guiding them out to the backyard to await the beginning of the ceremony.

The Caffreys' yard looked like a fairy tale and El knew that when the sun eventually went down and the fairy lights came on, it would become even more magical. No detail had been skimped on and no expense spared to make this the most unforgettable occasion for Neal and Sara. El could feel her legs shaking as she stood in front of the full length mirror, checking herself out in a gorgeous taffeta dress in a pale shade of grey. She looked great and she smiled back at herself, happy with what she saw; hopefully, Peter would approve.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that there was plenty of help around, from the caterers she'd hired, to the crew of servers (no strippers, this time), to the two young men who were on parking duty and the energetic young woman El had hired to coordinate the activities for the kids. All she could do now, was to keep a close eye on things from a distance and try to enjoy the party. There was still no sign of Mozzie although it was just like him to want to make an entrance and Elizabeth tried to put it out of her mind as she gave herself one last appraising look in the mirror and headed downstairs.

Within minutes, the first guests began to arrive.

First off, were Clinton and Ivy Jones with their two boys, Michael and Jonathan. The twelve and ten-year-old boys were guided over to the tent where games had been set up and were soon joined by Olivia and Virginia Berrigan who had been drafted to help out with the younger crowd. The girls were in their late teens and Olivia had recently started community college, studying in early childhood education; she was more than eager to help with the younger children and she and her sister joined the younger set at the back of the yard. Meanwhile, their mothers settled in next to Clinton and Ivy and Diana and Jones immediately started talking shop, unable to resist the urge to discuss their latest case. It didn't take long for their respective spouses to interrupt, demanding that the work colleagues move on to another topic and their discussion seamlessly moved to the wedding they were about to witness.

Ken and Ginette Murphy were next to arrive and El took extra care to make sure they were seated comfortably in the backyard, offering them refreshments and introducing them to the Jones and Cooper-Berrigans. Not far behind was the Rivers family who arrived with much fanfare, the twins excited to have gotten dressed up to go to a wedding. Moira and Scott settled in with the other guests as their four daughters disappeared to the back of the yard with the rest of the children.

'Behave!' Moira Rivers reminded them as she watched them run off.

As guest after guest arrived, Caitlin and Will tag teamed with Caitlin remaining by the front door to greet everyone and Will going back and forth to the yard to escort the guests to their seats, making sure they were settled in before returning to help with the new arrivals.

Before long, Cody and his parents arrived and Liam's boyfriend was put to work, helping out with the new arrivals as they began to turn up at a faster clip. Cindy arrived with her husband Jonas; with her mom and her aunt out of the country, she was the lone representative of the Ellington family for this illustrious occasion, happy to be there to support her partner on his special day.

Next to arrive was a big, black dude Caitlin had never seen before who introduced himself as Jim McDougall, a name she'd heard before but a man she'd never met. The gentle giant was escorted out to the back yard and Cody made sure to introduce him around before leaving him with the other guests and returning to the front door to do it all over again. The Masons were next, Jeff, Donna as well as Olivia and her fiancé, all looking very festive for the special occasion.

Cameron showed up, more than eager to lend a helping hand as he waited for his wife and son to arrive. He took the time to introduce his parents, Fred and Bonnie, to all those who hadn't had the chance to meet them the previous year at his own wedding.

Lydia and Sam Jordan weren't far behind and they arrived with the flower girl, decked out in her gorgeous outfit while her little sister pouted at all the attention Beatrice was getting.

'Don't get dirty!' Lydia called out to her eldest daughter as the girls joined the growing group of youngsters who were busy making cards for the newlyweds in the arts and crafts area.

The buzz in the Caffreys' backyard got louder as the group of guests grew larger and laughter and chatting could be heard as everyone awaited with anticipation the arrival of the bride and groom. Servers with drinks roamed around, making sure everyone had something to drink while they waited and Elizabeth roamed from one group to another, making sure everyone had what they needed.

At 1:45, Dr. Joanne Cooper arrived and began to mingle with the other guests; she had the gift of the gab and took no time at all in getting familiar with everyone in attendance, taking extra time to admire little Jacob Armstrong who, to her chagrin, had arrived in the world without needing her assistance.

A small, round woman arrived and Cody took her around the group, introducing her as Marion Birch, therapist extraordinaire who had played such an important role in supporting Neal and Sara through some tough times. She and Joanne Cooper struck up a conversation and before long were settled side by side, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Although they lived right next door, Myrtle and Charlie Stevens were the last to arrive and they gravitated towards the Masons, friends and neighbours. They'd never seen the Caffreys' backyard looking so festive and they took a seat, admiring Neal's prize garden and eyeing the large gazebo which had been installed at the back.

The string quartet played in the background and by ten minutes to two o'clock, all the guests had arrived and there was still no sign of Mozzie. Elizabeth got busy, trying several of his known phone numbers, frustrated that she kept getting answering machines one after the other. The ceremony couldn't happen without him and he knew it all too well; she was going to throttle him when she got her hands on him.

'What's wrong?' Caitlin asked as she saw Elizabeth pacing.

'Mozzie's not here yet' El replied with a worried look.

'It's fine. He's always late' Caitlin reminded her.

'Did you try this number?' Cody asked as he looked something up on his phone, showing it to Elizabeth. 'Liam was with him last weekend and he left me this number in case of an emergency.'

El smiled at him as she walked away, punching away at her phone.

Will made his way back to the front door, joining Caitlin who was looking gorgeous in a pale green dress Sara had sprung for.

'I think that's everybody' he said as they stood close together and checked the list of guests.

The only no-shows were Scott Connor, Neal's sponsor, who was out of town as well as June's daughters Marion and Lorna, both of whom had sent generous donations to the June Ellington School of Art.

Elizabeth was pacing by the front of the house when Peter arrived with Liam and Neal. She could tell by the look on Neal's face that he was a mess and she thought better than to share her concern about Mozzie, opting instead to usher both the groom and the best man down to Neal's studio to await the bride's arrival.

'You look amazing, Neal' she whispered in his ear in an attempt to keep him calm. 'Sara's a very lucky woman.'

He was clad in a gorgeous navy blue suit, a classic look with a pale blue shirt and a tie with the same magenta that was reflected in his boutonnière - the same flower and colour he'd worn at his first wedding.

'Is Sara here?' he asked breathlessly as he peeked out the back door, seeing the crowd assembled.

'I just talked to Hope' El said reassuringly. 'They're about five minutes away. Now, scoot, you don't want to see the bride before the ceremony.'

'Come on Dad' Liam said, taking his father's arm and leading him down to the basement to wait.

Peter turned to look at his wife, sighing loudly; getting Neal there in one piece had been quite an ordeal.

'Wow! Look at you' Peter said as he admired his wife. 'You look spectacular. Are you sure you're not the bride?'

She smiled nervously. 'So, how is he?' she asked.

'I've never seen him like this. He's acting like he's about to propose and he's afraid Sara's going to say no.'

Elizabeth laughed nervously. 'Honey, Mozzie's not here yet and I'm starting to get worried' she confided, looking around furtively.

Peter scoffed; it was just like Mozzie to be late. 'El, you know Mozzie. He'll be here, he's not going to want to let Neal down.'

She nodded nervously. 'You go on in and mingle. Everybody's here.'

Peter touched her elbow, forcing her to look at him. 'Honey, everything's going to be fine. The place looks amazing and all you can do now, is let everyone have fun and try to relax.'

She nodded half-heartedly, watching Peter walk away to join the others as she resumed her watch by the front door.

WCWCWC

Driving through their neighbourhood all decked out in her wedding outfit felt surreal to Sara who sat in the back seat, next to her grandson, watching him sleep. She'd been a chatterbox since they'd left the hotel, talking mindlessly about this and that - the weather, how cute Jacob was when he sighed, their upcoming trip to Paris, how she wished she hadn't had that second glass of champagne… yada yada yada.

'You know, it's really comfortable back here' she commented to her daughter who was in the driver's seat.

She'd been saying silly, innocuous things for the past half hour, a very feeble attempt at masking her obvious nerves.

'Yeah…' Hope replied with false enthusiasm as she glanced over at her aunt and rolled her eyes. 'Really roomy.'

'You know, we should really get our fence painted' Sara continued as she looked around at the homes in their Prospect Park neighbourhood. 'The Pearsons got their's done last year and it looks…'

'Mom?' Hope called out as she finally turned onto their street.

'Yeah…' Sara replied breathlessly.

'Are you all right?' Hope asked.

'Of course I'm all right' Sara lied as she continued to glance around the houses up and down their street.

'You sound a little… tense' Emily said from the passenger seat.

'No… I'm not… oh, look' Sara said, interrupting herself. 'There's Mrs. Mattson out watering her flowers. She has a beautiful garden. Do you know that she won a contest for her roses last year and —'

'Hey Mrs. Mattson' she called out from the car window as the woman looked up and waved back at her.

Hope and Emily exchanged worried glances. 'Got any valium in there?' Hope murmured, pointing to her aunt's purse.

'What was that, honey?' Sara asked from the back seat, totally oblivious to what was going on in the front seat.

'Nothing, Mom. I just said… we're almost there!'

WCWCWC

Elizabeth spotted the Armstrongs' new car coming up the street and checked her watch; it was a few minutes to 2:00 and the bride was arriving, fully expecting to get married… and they still didn't have an officiant.

She took a deep breath; Sara didn't need to know Mozzie was a no-show. Right now, her job was to keep both the groom and the bride calm and relaxed while she frantically searched for the little man that drove them all crazy.

'Hi Aunt Elizabeth!' Hope called out as she stepped away from the car.

Elizabeth couldn't hold back a sincere smile at the sight of her goddaughter, looking so happy and relaxed and her eyes grew as both Emily and Sara stepped out of the car. Sara looked gorgeous, even more beautiful than she had on that day twenty-five years earlier when she'd first married Neal. With the passage of time and experience, she had become even more poised and self-possessed as she'd grown into her role of loving mother and now, doting grandmother to little Jake.

'Welcome!' El called out, rushing out to meet Sara halfway.

The two women hugged and Elizabeth linked her arm in Sara's, ushering her towards the front door with Emily carrying Jacob and Hope following with the large diaper bag.

'Your groom has already arrived and he looks wonderful' El whispered in her best friend's ear as Sara smiled, seemingly relaxing.

They stepped into the house and the loud hum of voices could be heard coming in from the backyard as Sara tried to sneak a peek, just as Neal had done.

'Honey, take your mom upstairs' Elizabeth instructed her goddaughter.

Hope looked over at Emily who was holding her son in her arms.

'Go on' Em said reassuringly. 'We're fine; I'll go find this little guy's daddy.'

Hope guided her mom up the stairs and upon arriving in her bedroom, Sara seemed to relax, taking a seat on the edge of her bed and trying to quiet her breathing, thankful, perhaps for the first time, that she had a fully functioning ticker, compliments of her new pacemaker.

She rifled through her purse, looking for her phone.

'Mom, what are you doing?' Hope asked, joining her on the edge of the bed.

'I'm calling your dad' Sara replied matter-of-factly.

'Don't do that' Hope pleaded, 'You'll ruin the surprise.'

'What surprise? I just need to hear his voice' Sara explained as she dialled.

Two floor down, Neal felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and Liam looked up at his dad, eyes wide.

'What are you doing with your phone on you? You're getting married in five minutes' he said, incredulous.

'It's your mom' Neal replied, his eyes brightening and a smile breaking out on his face.

'Sara!' he said into his phone as he began to pace around his studio.

'Hi!' Sara said, sounding like a giddy teenager. 'How are you?'

'I'm good… excited. You?'

'Same' she giggled. 'I'm up in our bedroom.'

'Yeah?' Neal replied, grinning goofily. He glanced over at his son and turned away, letting his voice drop. 'I can't wait to see you. Did you get my note?'

'Uh huh' she murmured coyly while Hope watched her mom morph into a giddy teenager. 'Are you wearing your pocket watch?'

'Of course' he cooed. 'I'm never going anywhere without it. So, how's your dress?'

Sara smiled coyly. 'You'll find out soon enough' she replied with a titter.

'I can't wait…' Neal said dreamily.

The conversation continued and Liam took a few steps away from his dad and grabbed for his own phone, dialling his sister's number.

'Are you hearing this crap?' he whispered into the phone once Hope answered.

She slipped out of her parents' bedroom and out into the hallway. 'If I ever sound like that, please… shoot me' she replied, keeping her voice low.

He giggled; actually, she and Cam could get pretty starry-eyed too - and come to think of it, Cody was a real sap whenever he got in the mood.

'She was a bit of a mess' Hope admitted, peeking into the room and hearing her mom giggling '…but she's smiling now.'

Liam looked across the room, seeing his dad's shoulders relaxing. 'He was a wreck too but he seems to be relaxing a little.'

'Do you think they're doing the right thing? Getting married?' she asked jokingly.

'Hell, yes. Do you really want to be the illegitimate offspring of an insurance investigator and an ex-conman?'

WCWCWC

Peter stepped into the house, intent on finding out what the holdup was. It was a few minutes past the bewitching hour and although the guests seemed reasonably content with chatting and waiting for the main event to start, he knew El would be going crazy if the schedule wasn't strictly adhered to.

'The natives are getting restless' he said as he caught up with Elizabeth who was still standing just outside the front door.

'Tell me about it —' she began, spotting Mozzie's old beat up van coming up the street.

'Finally!' she sighed as the van pulled up.

She watched in horror as Mozzie stepped out wearing what could best be described as an elaborate head dress and a long colourful tunic with fur trim. As if that wasn't enough, three other men stepped out of the van, similarly clad and carrying large African drums.

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide and she turned to look at her husband as she felt her knees buckle underneath her.

'Holy shit!' Peter murmured.

TBC


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

'I wonder if there's some sort of problem' Diana said as she checked her watch.

'You know weddings… there's always some last minute glitch' Ivy Jones countered. 'I'm sure everything's fine.'

'Yeah, maybe Sara got a run in her stocking or something' Clinton offered with a grin.

'Or maybe Neal had to check his hair… one last time' Christie joked.

'Mom?' Olivia Berrigan said as she appeared by her mom's side. 'Should we be getting the kids to come and sit?'

Diana craned her neck in an attempt to get a glimpse inside the house, to no avail.

'Elizabeth said she was going to give us a five minute warning. You can probably let them play a few minutes longer' she told her daughter.

'The place looks amazing' Christie said, glancing around the large yard, impeccably decorated. 'Neal and Sara have really gone all out.'

'Compared to their first wedding, this is pretty elaborate' Diana observed as Clinton nodded in agreement.

The Caffreys' wedding, twenty-five years earlier, had been an intimate affair with less than twenty guests congregating in June Ellington's dining room to witness the nuptials. Of the group assembled today, only Peter, Elizabeth, Mozzie, Jones, Cindy, Diana and Christie had been present that day. By comparison, this was a large affair - and much more family friendly - than their first wedding, considering three-month-old Hope had been the only child in attendance all those years ago.

A few seats over from the Jones, Moira Rivers squirmed in her chair as she tried to find a comfortable position to sit in. Her attention was drawn to the young man who'd introduced himself as Neal and Sara's son-in-law. He was holding the tiniest of newborns, clad in the cutest little mini-tuxedo sleep set as he dozed calmly despite all the noise and excitement around them.

Moira elbowed her husband. 'Isn't he cute?' she said wistfully.

Even after four newborns of their own, the magic was still there and Scott Rivers smiled at his wife and brought his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in to him.

'That'll be us in just a couple of weeks' he replied with a wide grin. 'I can't wait.'

'So, when are you due?' Joanne Cooper asked as she leaned in to speak to Moira.

'Three weeks' Moira declared, rubbing her belly. 'And not a day too soon. I just hope this one's arrival isn't going to be as dramatic as little Jacob's birth.'

'Yeah, he took us all by surprise' Dr. Cooper admitted. 'I'm Joanne Cooper, Hope's OB/GYN, by the way.'

'Oh, so you were the one who got left out in the cold?' Scott joked.

'Apparently, little Jacob didn't need any extra help making his entrance' Dr. Cooper said.

Marion Birch sat next to the doctor and listened with interest. She was more than happy to be there to celebrate with Neal and Sara on this special day. After all, she'd seen the Caffreys at their very worst, as they worked through the aftermath of Sara's sexual assault and later, as they supported each other in dealing with Neal's struggle with alcohol abuse. They had come such a long way and, after years of therapy, they still chose to meet with her a couple of times a year in order to have a frank and open discussion and make sure they weren't leaving any lingering issues unaddressed. Despite the need to keep a professional distance, Marion had let herself grow very fond of the couple and she felt like she knew every member of their family intimately — which, of course, she did. Now, sitting there amongst the other guests, she was excited for the couple and their new beginning.

Elizabeth appeared on the backyard deck and walked up to the microphone which had been set up, preparing to address the chattering group of guests.

'Good afternoon everyone!' she said as the small crowd settled in to listen. 'I just wanted to let you know we're running a few minutes late but we'll be getting underway very shortly. Please, help yourself to some drinks and make sure you have a glass of champagne for our toast to the bride and groom following the ceremony.'

She was gone as quickly as she'd appeared and the buzz of voices resumed as the guests continued to chat amongst themselves, the excitement building. It was a gorgeous summer day, the background music played, Jacob Armstrong snoozed, the children frolicked nearby and the birds chirped…

Perfection.

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'Aunt Elizabeth says she needs you upstairs' Liam said, tapping his dad on the shoulder.

Neal returned his attention to the phone. 'Honey, I need to go. El needs me for something.'

'What's the matter?' Sara asked.

'I don't know… but I'll see you in a few minutes, okay? I love you' he said with a goofy smile on his face.

'I love you too' Sara replied, hanging up.

Liam took his dad's arm and guided him upstairs. 'I think it has something to do with Uncle Moz' he informed his dad as Neal frowned.

What now, Neal wondered.

'What now' became immediately apparent once Neal stepped off the basement stairs and spotted Mozzie by the front door, chatting with Peter while three huge guys in ceremonial garb hovered nearby. Elizabeth reappeared from the backyard and laced her arm in Neal's.

'I need you to have a word with Mozzie' she murmured as she guided him towards the front of the house.

'No kidding…' Neal muttered under his breath.

'Moz!' he said as he glimpsed his friend, his eyes drawn to the little man's elaborate getup.

'Glad tidings on your wedding day!' Mozzie replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world that he was standing there in the Caffreys' front hall wearing an unconventional, one might say outlandish, outfit, complete with fur trim and flanked by three huge dudes holding African drums.

Neal's eyes grew and he took a long steadying breath, trying to keep himself from totally losing it.

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Upstairs in the Caffrey bedroom, Sara's ears perked up at the sound of the soft dulcet tones of Neal's voice talking to someone and she stood, preparing to step into the hallway outside their bedroom door.

'Mom! What are you doing?' Hope said, intervening.

'I can hear your dad's voice down there' Sara said as she tried to tune in to the conversation taking place down in their front hall.

Hope took her by the arm, holding her back. 'Mom, Aunt Elizabeth said to wait up here. I think we should do what she says.'

Sara gave her a deathly stare before sighing and retreating back into her bedroom.

'Fine' she muttered, moving to stand in front of the full length mirror in order to check herself out once more.

She fiddled with the top edge of her dress, a mindless, nervous gesture that wasn't lost on Hope.

'Mom…' she said, her voice quiet.

Sara turned away from the mirror, facing her daughter. 'What?'

'I know it's only been a few weeks but… nobody's really looking at that thing, you know.'

Sara smiled at her daughter, her shoulders relaxing. 'I know, honey… it's me… I'm having a little trouble adjusting, that's all.'

Hope turned her mom around to face the mirror once more and stood beside her, her arm around her shoulder.

'Look at yourself, Mom. What do you see?'

Sara was taken aback by the question and looked away, slightly embarrassed.

'You know what _I_ see?' Hope continued. 'I see the strongest, most courageous, most determined woman I've ever known. A woman who has been my inspiration my whole life, who taught me to fight for what I believe in, stand up for myself and who gave me strength when I couldn't do things on my own. And now, _I_ get to be a mom and the only thing that keeps me from going totally bat shit crazy is the knowledge that I have the best example in the world and the thought that you'll be there to support me.'

'Honey…' Sara murmured, staring back at her reflection and feeling the emotion rising in her chest.

'It's true, Mom. You're all those things to me… and to Liam. And to Dad. You're the glue that keeps this family together' Hope said, her arm tightening around her mom's shoulder.

The women hugged. You could have heard a pin drop in the quiet room.

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Neal took the last few steps separating him from his oldest friend and fought hard to keep breathing, willing himself to stay calm even though he could feel his blood boiling in his veins.

'Moz… a word. Please' he said sternly as he opened the front door and ushered the bespectacled man out onto the front porch.

Peter, who'd been standing there in shock looked from Elizabeth to Liam and gave them both a head nod towards the back of the house. It was probably better for everyone involved if they gave Neal and Mozzie a little space to work this out.

'Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?' Neal whispered as he glared at Mozzie.

'Oh, those are djembes, African drums… it's part of the wedding ceremony' Mozzie said, obvious pride in his voice.

'Which part? None that we discussed and agreed on!' Neal reminded him, his voice growing louder.

'Consider it… your wedding gift from me' Mozzie attempted gleefully.

'Which I will be returning' Neal said with emphasis as Mozzie looked back at him, forlorn.

Neal could see the look of disappointment on Mozzie's face; he'd known the man long enough to recognize when his feelings were truly hurt versus when he was trying to manipulate Neal into feeling guilty.

'Look, Moz, I know you mean well but today… well, it's not _about_ you. It's about Sara… and me' Neal reminded him, his voice growing calmer.

Mozzie nodded, looking like a chastised five-year-old.

'So tell me, what were you planning? With those… musicians?' Neal asked, unsure what to call the three huge dudes standing in his front hall, brandishing their instruments.

'I was going to do a chant after the first reading' Mozzie said, looking down at his feet. 'And they were going to accompany me on those drums. It's a special wedding chant.'

'O—kay' Neal said, thinking on his feet. Surely there was a way to resolve this without giving Sara a coronary and still allow Mozzie to save face.

'How about this?' Neal continued, in solution mode. 'Why don't we have the ceremony exactly as we rehearsed it and before the DJ starts the music after dinner, you can do your little… number.'

Mozzie frowned, seemingly unsure as to whether that was acceptable, yet knowing this was the best offer he was going to get.

'And I can wear my ceremonial garb for the ceremony?' he asked, running his hand down the elaborate costume he was wearing and tugging at the intricate trim.

Neal looked him up and down, examining the colourful outfit with fur tails along the back and front edges and the oversize headdress in what he sincerely hoped was _synthetic_ leopard skin.

'Is that real?' he asked pointing to his head. 'Because Sara's going to have a fit.'

'Of course not!' Mozzie replied indignantly as Neal nodded.

'All right then, we're agreed? You get to wear the garb but we stick to the script and you do your chant with the… musicians after dinner, before the DJ starts the music' Neal recapped, making certain there would be no further misunderstandings.

Mozzie nodded like a little kid and smiled, apparently happy with the compromise.

'Now, let's get going' Neal said, opening the door and inviting him in. 'Otherwise, my bride is going to think I've changed my mind and skipped out on her.'

Peter, Liam and El were hovering halfway between the kitchen and family room when Neal and Mozzie reappeared and Neal gave the event planner the thumbs up, letting her know that everything was worked out.

'All right' El said with a smile. 'I'll go give them the five minute warning and then we'll get Sara and Hope down here.'

'Can I… well, can I have just a minute with Sara before we start?' Neal asked. 'Alone.'

Elizabeth frowned. 'Neal, you were with her non-stop up until about five hours ago. What more can you possibly have to tell her?'

'I know… I know' Neal said, flashing one of his charismatic smiles. 'There's just… something I forgot to say… two minutes, tops.'

Truth was, they were about to step out and say their vows publicly and he just needed to see his wife one last time before they faced everyone together.

'Fine' Elizabeth said with a laboured sigh. 'You can go up and see her and then, come down and I'll have Hope and Liam waiting for you. You've got two minutes!'

'Oh, and one more thing…' Neal said, drawing Liam aside and whispering something in his ear.

'Sure Dad' Liam said as Neal smiled and bounded up the stairs.

Sara was pacing in their bedroom when Neal appeared in the doorway and he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her, looking so beautiful that the sight of her literally took his breath away.

'Dad!' Hope said, surprised to find him standing there - not part of the approved 'Elizabeth Burke' agenda.

'It's okay, it's okay' Neal said, eyes still glued on Sara. 'I got permission from El to come up and talk to your mom.'

Hope looked from her mom to her dad, suddenly emotional at the sight of the two of them and all that they meant to her and Liam. Perhaps it was the maternal hormones flowing through her veins or maybe it was just the sight of the two of them looking so crazy in love but she choked up, emotion rising in her chest and she suddenly had her arms around them both, hugging them fervently.

'You guys are the best. I love you so much' she blubbered as Neal and Sara chuckled nervously.

'We love you too, sweet pea' Neal replied as he gave in to her insistent hug.

Hope pulled away, wiping her eyes. 'Sorry… hormones' she said, somewhat embarrassed at her lack of self-control. 'I'll… leave you two alone, then. See you downstairs.'

Neal nodded. 'Check in with your brother when you get down there' he said cryptically as she frowned, not quite understanding what he meant.

She turned to look at them wistfully one last time as she prepared to head down to the main floor, giving them a final wave of her hand.

Neal let out a long exhale as he turned to focus on his wife, running his hand gingerly over her hair, careful not to disturb the gorgeous magenta orchid that was tucked at the nape of her long, slender neck.

'I love the hair' he said breathlessly as he took in the sight of the hairstyle he'd never seen on her before. 'Very classic and… classy.'

'I wasn't supposed to… anyway, Sandy talked me into it' she replied, scrutinizing her husband, looking dapper in his dark navy suit, the matching orchid on his lapel reminiscent of their first wedding.

'I love this tie. Good choice, Caffrey' she said, running her hand longingly down the lapel of his suit jacket.

He shrugged demurely and raised his eyebrows, letting the compliment sink in. Neal didn't usually get tongue-tied but he was obviously overwhelmed at the sight of his wife.

'I'm so glad you got the dress you really wanted. It's… perfect on you. You look beautiful, Sara' he said, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

'Did you peek in the garment bag?' she asked with a frown; she'd had her suspicions all along.

'No' he said without hesitation. There was nothing like telling the truth and he didn't falter in the least. 'But it was well worth the wait…'

He leaned in to kiss her lips, his hands cupping her face and Sara leaned into the kiss.

'So, how did you ever get Elizabeth to let you come up here?' she asked when their lips parted.

'I begged…' he said with a nervous grin. 'I just… Sara, there are some things that are just harder to say in front of everyone' he said ambiguously.

Sara studied his face; whatever he wanted to say was obviously difficult for him and she waited patiently for him to find the words.

Neal swallowed hard before continuing. 'You know, when I started drinking and… drifting away from you and the kids… I was… I was so messed up and I wouldn't have blamed you one bit if you hadn't taken me back after I disrespected you the way I did.'

Sara brought her finger to his lips in an attempt to get him to stop talking… to stop dwelling on something she had long ago forgiven, if not forgotten.

'No' he said, gently taking her hand away. 'Let me say this… please. You, wanting to stand up in front of everyone and reaffirm the commitment you made to me… well, after everything that's happened, it means the world to me.'

'Oh, Neal…' Sara said, getting emotional herself. 'There has never _been_ nor will there ever _be_ anyone but you. That could never change.'

Neal wiped a tear and coughed to stifle a soft sob that was on the edge of slipping out. He nodded and smiled at her, searching for words.

'I just… I just wanted to say that… well, this is a new beginning for us and I promise to do everything I can to be worthy of your love and to be my best self because… well, that's what you inspire me to be. Every day.'

Sara smiled, tears threatening.

'I knew you would do this to me, Caffrey' she cried as his eyes narrowed in response. 'You're going to ruin my make-up!'

Neal laughed and brought his arms around her, hugging her and letting out a long slow breath. They stood in silence for a moment, holding each other tightly, their hearts beating as one. Neal was the first to pull away, intent on keeping from falling apart when they had a backyard full of guests awaiting their arrival.

'You ready?' he asked as he put out his hand to take hers.

'Oh, one more thing' he added as they stepped out of the bedroom. 'About Mozzie…'

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Liam was waiting for Hope at the bottom of the stairs, watching as she came down, uncharacteristically decked out in heels and a gorgeous lavender coloured dress.

'Holy shit!' he called out before letting out a whistle. 'Who are you? And what have you done with my sister?'

Hope giggled at her baby brother's straight talk. 'You clean up pretty good yourself there, Mr. Man…' she replied '…for a kid brother.'

Liam took her by the arm and led her away from El and Peter who were hovering nearby.

'Dad wants to know if you'd be okay with us asking Caitlin to walk down the aisle with us' Liam whispered.

'Sure… you?' she replied without hesitation.

Hope had never had much of an issue with Caitlin joining their family. Sure, it had taken a few months to get used to having the younger woman around but she had never felt the kind of animosity that had existed between Caitlin and Liam from day one. Perhaps it was because Liam and Caitlin were so close in age and shared many of the same friends or maybe it was just the fact that they were polar opposites… whatever the reason, there had always been tension between Liam and their foster sister.

'Yeah… I am' he said, surprising himself. 'She's part of our family and she should be there with us' he affirmed. 'Besides, it's what Dad wants.'

'So, let's go tell her' Hope suggested.

'Tell who what?' Elizabeth asked as she prepared to get them all lined up for their big entrance.

'Slight change of plans' Liam said with a wide grin. 'Caitlin is going to walk Mom and Dad down the aisle with the two of us.'

Elizabeth looked on, surprised but pleased; for years, she'd been privy to the whole saga, watching as Liam merely tolerated the young woman while she tried so desperately to fit in. It was nice to finally see things come full circle.

'Well, that sounds very… fitting' El said. 'Hurry up, I'm going to go get your mom and dad.'

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Will Allenby had been thrilled when his best friend had walked over and whisked his girlfriend away — but not half as thrilled as she'd been. As the outsider in the Caffrey family, Caitlin was delighted to be asked to join the wedding party and she willingly followed Hope and Liam back into the house to prepare for their big entrance.

In the meantime, El had entrusted Will with the mission of making sure the unexpected guests, brought along by Mozzie, were seated comfortably during the ceremony. The three men got a few strange looks as they settled in towards the back with their large drums, attracting the attention of the younger crowd who hovered around them, curious.

'So…' Will said, pointing to each of the men individually and trying to recall their names. 'Amare, Imamu, Chunks.'

'Chuks' the third man corrected him.

'Chuks, right.' Will repeated. 'So, how do you guys know Mozzie?'

'We're… business associates, you might say' said the largest of the three men, easily clocking in at six-foot-five.

Will looked away, uneasy; all he knew was that Liam's uncle Mozzie had some very… shall we say, unorthodox 'friends'. Even though Will Allenby had been hanging around the Caffrey household for going on fifteen years, his best friend's godfather still remained a riddle… wrapped in a mystery… inside an enigma.

There was a little commotion on the deck as Elizabeth called everyone to their seats and the string quartet began its slow but moving rendition of Pachelbel's Canon in D, the hauntingly beautiful piece that heralded the arrival of the wedding party.

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'Everybody ready?' Elizabeth asked as she smoothed Hope's dress and righted Sara's bouquet.

Neal and Sara took one last look at each other, Neal winking at her and Sara beaming back at him. To her right, she laced arms with Liam while to Neal's left, Hope took her place, one arm in her dad's and the other laced with Caitlin's who was wearing a smile that could light up the darkest night.

'Ready, family?' Neal asked as everyone nodded resolutely.

And with that, the Caffrey family took its first few tentative steps to go meet their guests, Sara and Neal preparing to pledge their love and devotion for everyone to hear.

TBC


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

Beatrice Jordan hovered by the patio door, waiting for the wedding party, clad in her beautiful pale pink organza dress and looking as sweet as can be. Neal and Sara slowed their march momentarily, leaning down to hug their goddaughter and Elizabeth Burke adjusted the bow on the back of the child's dress and checked the placement of the orchid in her hair. One last look to make sure everything was perfect and El gave the go-ahead for the eight-year-old to step outside the door, with the basket full of orchid petals firmly clasped in her hand.

'Remember, nice and slow!' El reminded the child as the door opened and she stepped out, leading the way for the wedding party, the guests oohing and aahing enthusiastically as the group came into view.

Stepping out into their completely transformed backyard turned out to be a feast for the senses for Neal and Sara. The familiar space where they'd watched their kids play over the years, where they'd hosted countless barbecues, where they sat and had their after dinner tea most nights from May to October… the place was unrecognizable. The sound of music filled the air, the beautiful strings heard above the soft murmur of the guests as they got their first look at the bride and groom.

Sara's eyes swept the group of invitees, all of them dear friends and every one of them decked out in their Sunday best just for them. She felt Liam's solid presence on one side and Neal's on the other, his hand reaching to cover hers as they took the short stroll across the deck.

Neal tapped his wife's hand gently as they walked, calling her attention to the decorative garden stones which had been laid out on either side of their path, each with the name of a family member and he heard Sara gasp in response. The distance between the door and the flower covered arch was no more than twelve or so feet and the members of the wedding party walked solemnly in time with the majestic music and to the cheers of their friends and family. Sara's eyes went from the beautifully decorated yard, magical in its transformation, to the faces of their guests, her eyes resting momentarily on her sister's smiling face as she sat in the first row next to Cam and baby Jacob. Neal became aware of the exact moment Sara's gaze fell on Mozzie; although he'd warned her about what to expect, she couldn't help but let out a small groan at the sight of the man who never ceased to surprise her.

Having finished her important job as flower girl, Bibi stepped off the deck and into her dad's waiting arms, settling in between him, her sister Chloe and her mom. The guests grew quiet and the happy, gurgling sounds of some of the younger children was heard echoing in the open space as everyone prepared to listen to Mozzie's words of welcome.

Caitlin and Hope stood off to one side, flanking Sara and Liam settled in on the other side of his dad, ready to do his job as best man. Sara handed over her bouquet to her daughter and returned her hand to Neal's as the two of them stood, huddled under the beautiful trellis garnered with baby's breath and orchids.

Neal glanced out at the group of guests, his eyes meeting Peter's who now had Elizabeth tucked into his side. Peter smiled back, and the younger man could see emotion in his eyes as the string quartet wound down the beautiful piece of music. Neal gave Peter a bright, sincere smile as Peter looked on and gave him an encouraging nod, proud of his best friend.

Neal and Sara remained standing, hand in hand, their faces glowing and their hearts full as Mozzie prepared to speak.

'Good afternoon everyone and welcome!' Mozzie began, addressing the crowd. 'Neal and Sara have invited us here today to share this special celebration with them and to bear witness to the vows they have chosen to make to one another. Most weddings signal the beginning of a shared life together but in this case, Neal and Sara want us to know that after spending a quarter century together, they still haven't had enough of each other and they want another twenty-five years…

Giggling was heard from some of the guests in response to Mozzie's attempt at humour and Sara felt herself relax; she reminded herself that they were among friends and that everyone there wanted nothing but the best for them.

'Twenty-five years ago yesterday, Neal and Sara took the all important decision of joining their destinies in marriage yet, on that day, they didn't _really_ know what they were getting into' Mozzie continued. 'No one does, not really. And I'll admit that back then, when Neal told me he had asked Sara to marry him, I was pretty skeptical that a guy like Neal could ever settle down and become a husband and a father' Mozzie continued.

Neal took a deep breath; he hoped Mozzie wouldn't go too far off-script and start to pontificate about the sanctity of marriage or, heaven forbid, Neal's previous life as a conman. To his relief, Mozzie appeared to move on.

'But if ever a couple was meant to be together, it's these two' he said. 'At first glance, they are the antithesis of what you'd call a 'traditional' couple' he said, complete with air quotes. 'Sara is a go-getter, a strong woman who does not suffer fools gladly… as this fool has repeatedly found out.'

The crowd broke out in laughter; certainly, Sara and Mozzie's relationship had not always been smooth over the years.

'And Neal, as it turns out is quite… domestic, for lack of a better word.'

There was more giggling. 'And yet, their relationship works. It works in good times, it works in bad times, it's worked through joy and pain and sorrow, through the inevitable highs and lows of married life… and here they are, standing before us today to reaffirm the commitment they made all those years ago and let the world know just how they feel about each other.'

'It has been quite an adventure and many of us have had a front row seat as these two have gone through life, welcoming their beautiful children and now their precious little grandson' Mozzie added as all eyes turned towards Cameron who was holding the sleeping infant in his arms.

'May this ceremony and the renewal of your wedding vows remind you that despite the stresses inevitable in every life, your love, respect, trust and understanding of each other will continue to blossom and guide you through the next twenty-five years of your incredible journey together.'

Neal and Sara continued gazing into each other's eyes, surrounded by the love and support of their loved ones, yet seemingly in their own little bubble as they reflected on all that had happened since that fateful day in June's garden all those summers ago.

'Now, I'd like to invite Neal and Sara's son, Liam, to come up and do a reading' Mozzie announced.

Liam took a few steps towards the microphone and looked out into the crowd, spotting Cody alongside his parents, looking up very proudly at him. There was something about the seriousness and sobriety of the occasion that had his mind going to places it had never been before. What did the future hold for him and Cody Miller? Were the two of them destined to spend their lives together and, if so, would they eventually want to make some sort of formal commitment to one another? Since his godson's arrival three days earlier, Liam had let his mind wander to the possibility of a family someday, something he'd never given much thought to before little Jacob had been placed in his arms.

He reached into his jacket pocket and removed a piece of paper, taking the time to carefully unfold it and clearing his throat as he prepared to speak.

' _Marriage is a commitment to learning to care for one another in mutually fulfilling ways. It is not an act but a life-long relationship always in the making. Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid._ '

At this, Neal's hand tightened around Sara's and she gazed up at him, smiling brightly. They had both been called upon to forgive the other's shortcomings over the years, as was the case for all married couples. Often, things were said or done in the heat of the moment without proper consideration for the impact those words or actions might have. Sadly, throughout their years together, they had both been guilty of hurting one another. Early on in their marriage, they had come to the realization that if they didn't want to be eaten up alive by anger and resentment, they needed to accept that neither one of them was perfect and that they needed to let things go and forgive the sometimes mindless words and actions that were spoken or carried out in haste.

Liam continued with the reading, hearing echoes of his own relationship with Cody in the words he was speaking.

' _Marriage encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life. When two people pledge their love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique unto themselves which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other and the potential of marriage requires a lifetime to fulfill._ '

As he spoke, Liam couldn't help but think of his own blossoming relationship with his boyfriend and wonder where they were headed. Maybe someday, loving Cody wouldn't be enough; maybe the day would come when they would want to stand up and tell the whole world how they felt, declaring their love and pledging their devotion to one another for everyone to hear. He finished up, turned to look at his parents and took the time to hug both of them before returning to stand by his dad once more in order to finish fulfilling his duties as best man.

Next, Hope was invited up to the microphone and she exchanged glances with her husband who sat nearby with their newborn in his arms, her heart absolutely full to overflowing with love for the two of them. Her mom and dad were poised to renew their wedding vows and she and Cameron were beginning this incredible journey called parenthood, just as her folks had done twenty-five years earlier.

She'd read the poem she was set to deliver several times in preparation, practically learning it by heart and she hoped she would be able to read it without her voice wavering or that annoying stutter of hers making a comeback. The words resonated with her when she thought of her own marriage to Cameron and she knew that it was perfectly fitting to describe the bond between her parents as well.

Hope took a steadying breath and brought her eyes to rest on the sheet of paper handed to her by her uncle Mozzie. She smiled at the sight of the hand-scribbled note at the top, in his unmistakeable hand writing. ' _Take a deep breath and relax'_ it read and she glanced over at him and took a deep breath before proceeding to speak.

 _'_ _To love is to share life together, to build special plans just for two_

 _To work side by side and then smile with pride as one by one, dreams all come true._

 _To love is to help and encourage with smiles and sincere words of praise_

 _To take time to share, to listen and care in tender, affectionate ways._

 _To love is to have someone special, on who you can always depend_

 _To be there through the years sharing laughter and tears as a partner, a lover, a friend._

 _To love is to make special memories of moments you love to recall_

 _Of all the good things that sharing life brings love is the greatest of all._

 _I've learned the full meaning of sharing and caring and having my dreams all come true;_

 _I've learned the full meaning of being in love by being with and loving you.'_

She spoke slowly, taking the time to enunciate each word deliberately, carefully. She managed to get through the whole thing without her voice quavering too much and keeping the often persistent stutter at bay. When she finally turned to hug her parents, the tears began to flow - the dam finally breaking.

'Thanks, sweet pea' Neal whispered in her ear as she returned to stand by her mom once more.

The crowd grew silent, no doubt reflecting on the words that had just been spoken and except for some birds chirping in the afternoon sun and the soft giggling of four-year-olds Emma and Harper Rivers, the place was eerily quiet.

Mozzie adjusted the fur on his tunic and looked solemnly out at the group of guests. 'Neal and Sara have prepared something they would like to say to each other. Sara, would you like to go first?'

Sara took a deep breath and turned slightly to face Neal. Having fifty or so pairs of eyes on her was nerve wracking and the only way she was going to get through this was to pretend she was speaking to Neal and Neal alone. He gave her a reassuring smile, his own breathing uneven as Sara prepared to speak.

'Neal…' she said breathlessly. For a moment, it looked like she wasn't going to be able to carry on. Neal took both her hands in his and he leaned in, kissing her cheek in encouragement and leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Sara laughed softly in response and nodded as she seemed to relax, her gaze returning to look into Neal's deep blue eyes.

'Neal…' she repeated, her voice wavering. '…what an incredible adventure this has been!'

She took a deep breath before going on. 'We were so naive when we first got married… not naive about life per se because we'd both lived a lot…' she said, stopping for an instant as Neal smiled back at her '…but naive about what it would be like to share our lives with each other and what kind of scary and amazing things were waiting for us down the line. Maybe if we'd known… well, maybe we would have been too scared to take the plunge. I guess it's a good thing we _didn't_ know.'

Neal listened, his attention riveted on his wife, hanging on to every single word she spoke.

'When I look back on the last twenty-five years, I just can't believe all that's happened. Most importantly, we started a family and our family continues to grow and I _love_ watching your face light up when the house is full of family and friends… that's when I see what's in your heart, Caffrey, that beautiful pure heart of yours that's so full of love. You have taught me so much about the kind of person I want to be, the kind of parent I want to be. You love with your whole being, with your heart and soul and you give all that you have whether it's deserved or not, whether it's appreciated or not and because of the beautiful person you are, we have these amazing kids and now… we have little Jacob…'

Sara cried as she spoke and Neal stared ahead, blinking in an effort to chase tears that were threatening to fall.

'There's been so much love and joy and laughter in our lives over the past twenty-five years but there's also been pain and sorrow and loss…' she said as she glanced down at her new family ring and fiddled with it.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Sara was thinking of the two little babies who never came to be and who'd sadly remained just a glimmer in their daddy's eyes.

'But you know what, none of that matters, the only thing that matters is that we're together to face it' she said taking her hand and raising it to rest up against Neal's cheek. 'Because you… you make every good thing that ever happened in my life better, brighter, more exciting…'

Neal smiled but she could see tears spilling onto his cheeks. '… and all the bad things, the pain, the sorrow… well, you just make them easier to bear because… well, because you're always there to face them with me.'

Neal had a fleeting thought of the horrible time they'd faced after Hope's accident and he felt a pang of guilt; he hadn't been emotionally available to support Sara through the aftermath and yet she'd forgiven him and they had found their way back to each other, somehow.

'When I said _I do_ all those years ago, I said it with optimism and hope for the future. All I knew was that I loved you and I wanted to share my life with you but, to be honest, I really didn't know _what_ I was saying yes to… Now, I do and today, in front of all our friends and family and with my eyes wide open… I'm saying yes, Neal, _yes_ to the joys and the heartaches that I _know_ are still ahead. I promise to always be there for you and I promise you'll never be alone, not until I draw my last breath. Neal, you're my best friend, my confidant, my lover, my inspiration, my better half, my soul mate. I want to face the next twenty-five years with you by my side and I promise to be there for you, every step of the way, supporting you and helping you be the best person you can be… because that's what you do for me… you challenge me to be my best self every single day and I love you for it.'

There were a few sniffles nearby and Sara glimpsed to her right, noticing Hope wiping her eyes and she chuckled, wiping tears from her own eyes and reaching over to wipe one off of Neal's cheek.

'Now I see why you wanted to go first' Neal mumbled as everyone laughed.

There was a bit of lull while everyone waited for the groom to compose himself.

'Thinking about today… I searched high and low to find the words to tell you how I feel and I came across this poem that I wanted to read to you' Neal said as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper.

'Here goes nothing…' he said with a sweet smile.

 _All I ever wanted was to be part of your heart,_

 _And for us to be together, to never be apart_

 _No one else in the world can even compare,_

 _You're perfect and so is this love that we share._

 _We have so much more than I ever thought we would,_

 _I love you more than I ever thought I could_

 _I promise to give you all I have to give,_ _I'll do anything for you as long as I live._

 _In your eyes I see our present, our future and past,_

 _By the way you look at me I know that we'll last._

 _I hope that one day you'll come to realize,_

 _How perfect you are when seen through my eyes._

He paused for a moment, folding up the sheet of paper. 'Okay, that sounded a lot cornier than I'd envisioned' he said with a nervous chuckle, swallowing to keep from growing emotional.

'My beautiful Sara… you just don't get it, do you. You're the one that keeps our marriage on solid ground, you're the glue that keeps our family together. You are the strongest, most determined person I've ever known. You can overcome anything life throws at you… and you make me want to be stronger, braver… better. Always better. You gave me two beautiful children who are the centre of our universe and you opened your heart to Caitlin… and when our family started to grow you just… well, there was just more room in your heart for everyone.'

Neal looked at his wife with intensity as he began to bare his soul.

'Babe, I love the way you say my name, I love it when you call me Caffrey, I love the way your eyes light up the whole room when you smile, and even after all these years, my heart still flutters when I hear the sound of your heels clicking on the hardwood floor when you come into the house… and I love how your scent lingers after you leave the room.'

He ran his hand down Sara's cheek, letting it drop to touch her shoulder and caressing it lovingly as he spoke. In that moment, it was as if they were alone, just the two of them and Neal continued, his voice full of emotion.

'I love how you still drive me absolutely crazy every single day, in every single way, I love that you call me on all my crap and you don't let me get away with anything, I love that you're a lousy cook and I love that little sound you make when you taste my risotto and the way your skin feels when you slip into bed next to me and the way our bodies fit perfectly together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.'

Sara chuckled and wiped her eyes - he could always make her laugh, no matter the situation. The words were tumbling out now, his speech brisk as if he was afraid that if he didn't hurry up, he'd lose his nerve.

'Sara, I love how you know me inside and out and you still love me _despite_ my quirks and that you put up with all those things I do that I _know_ drive you crazy. I love that I can be totally myself with you, that there's no hiding or pretending just…. me, naked and vulnerable and that you never judge me even when I'm off doing some crazy thing like… overdoing the Christmas decorations or spoiling the kids every chance I get or… or trying to get you to agree to something you really don't want to do like… like having a big wedding.'

The guests laughed and Neal and Sara seemed to realize they weren't alone. Neal's eyes sparkled as he spoke and Sara smiled back, realizing she was the source of all the joy that was reflected in his eyes.

'And when things are tough… well, your smile makes everything better…easier, you and the kids… you give me the strength and courage to carry on when life gets hard.'

The sentiment seemed innocuous enough but it was clearly a reference to those horrible months where they had begun to drift apart and Sara just smiled at him and wiped a tear.

'Sometimes…' Neal continued, his voice so quiet it was barely audible. '…sometimes, I wonder what I did in my wretched life to deserve you…'

He cleared his throat and swallowed, intent on saying what he needed to say without turning into a blubbering idiot in front of all their friends.

'Sara… if you'll let me, I promise to be by your side until the day I die, striving to be the best I can be… for you, for the kids, for little Jacob and for the others who might come after him. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and continue on this wonderful journey with me?'

Sara had graduated to sobbing and she sniffled, taking the tissue Hope handed over as she nodded. There was silence while Mozzie waited to see if Neal was done and the couple finally tore their eyes from each other and looked over at him as he stepped forward to take centre stage.

'Okay….' he announced with a playful grin. 'Tissues are available under your chairs, should you require them.'

There was some chuckling as everyone looked under their chairs, surprised to find that, indeed, decorative boxes of tissues had been placed there for use by the guests. Everyone settled down again and Mozzie asked Liam and Hope to come a little closer in preparation for the exchange of rings.

'Neal and Sara, please join hands and recite the vows you have chosen to say to one another' Mozzie said as he turned to face them.

Hope handed her dad's wedding band to her mom.

'Neal, I love you' Sara said as she slipped the ring on his finger. 'You are my best friend. Today I recommit myself to you, our marriage and our family. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad. I promise to cherish you and to always treat you with respect. I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my soul into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams. These things I give to you today and all the days of our life.'

Neal took a moment to gaze down at the wedding band, realizing just how very much he'd missed it. He reached over to take Sara's ring from Liam and turned towards his wife as he slipped it back on her finger, fighting to remain in control of his emotions. 'Sara, you are the love of my life. You are my best friend. Today I recommit myself to you, our marriage and our family. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad. I promise to cherish you and to always treat you with respect and I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my soul into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams. These things I give to you today and all the days of our life.'

Neal let out a long exhale and Sara a nervous giggle as they turned to face the group of friends assembled, some of whom were still making good use of the tissues which had been provided, not the least of which were Emily and Elizabeth who could be seen dabbing their eyes.

'Many people believe that marriage is the final step in a romantic relationship' Mozzie proclaimed by way of conclusion. 'But marriage is not meant to be the final step but rather the beginning of a grand adventure. Neal, Sara, you have been on this journey for the past twenty-five years, you have shared the joys, blessings and challenges of married life and today you have reconfirmed your commitment to each other and to your family. May this ceremony mark the continuation of this incredible adventure you embarked on when you first committed to each other and may you know joy and happiness in the years to come. Neal and Sara, you may seal your commitment to each other with a kiss.'

The guests cheered loudly, everyone on their feet, watching as Neal dipped Sara and gave her a long, lingering kiss.

Music filled the air. It was time to party!

TBC


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58**

With the formal part of the celebration behind them, the newlyweds and theirs guests got down to some serious partying. Neal and Sara wandered through their backyard, hand in hand, greeting guests and thanking each one individually for being there to share in their special day. All around them, the children danced and laughed, the adults chatted and mingled — the whole place abuzz with excitement as music played in the background to everyone's enjoyment.

After a while, food appeared at the appetizer table and people began to partake of the excellent hors d'oeuvres prepared by the caterer and his team while the children indulged in mini turkey burgers and dogs along with mini mac and cheese pies and an array of sundae toppings for make it yourself ice cream treats. Champagne flowed as everyone waited for dinner to be served and Neal and Sara continued their stroll through their backyard, a glass of premium peach cider in their hands as they joined in one toast after an another to their good health and long and happy marriage.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Burke was doing a walk through of her own on a completely different mission, making sure all the guests had everything they needed and that the hired help was doing their job to her exacting standards. She checked in at the children's gazebo where some of the older kids were settled in playing video games while the younger ones dressed up for the photo booth or danced around to the beat of the music. She silently congratulated herself for having had the presence of mind to hire a coordinator for the children's activities and headed over to the house, entering the kitchen to check on the meal. Stéphane was there with his crew and it took but a moment for him to shoo her away, insisting that he and his team had everything under control and that she should go back to the party and start enjoying herself. As if to make his point, he poured the event planner a glass of champagne, placed it in her hand and sent her on her way.

To Neal's pure and utter joy, Sara was glowing as she greeted guests, smiling easily and having apparently set aside her earlier apprehensions about her choice of attire. She looked amazing, vibrant and so full of life and Neal's eyes were drawn to her bright green eyes and irrepressible smile as she chatted, looking calm and serene and incredibly beautiful in her gorgeous wedding dress. He felt like the luckiest man on the face of the earth, surrounded by his amazing wife and children and all their friends and family.

'Are you having a good time?' Caitlin asked Sara as the happy couple joined her and Will in a toast.

'The absolute best…' Sara said with a dopey grin. 'How are _you_ doing, Will?' she asked the young man.

Will brought his arm around Caitlin's shoulder and drew her near. 'I'm doing all right…' he began tentatively. 'I was hoping I'd have the chance to talk to the two of you. I've been wanting to thank you both… for letting me stay here until I can figure things out.'

'We're sorry to hear about what happened with your dad' Neal said as Sara nodded. 'Have you heard from him?'

Will looked down, obviously uncomfortable with the question and he shuffled his feet absent-mindedly as he spoke. 'He's not… not ready to hear what I have to say.'

Neal brought his hand to rest on Will's shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. 'Let's hope he comes around soon' he said. 'In the meantime, you always have a place here with us.'

Will nodded and looked up at Neal and Sara, smiling shyly. Sara's eyes went to Caitlin, noticing the look of concern on her face as she brought her arm around Will's waist and tucked herself into his side; it was obvious she had sincere affection for the young man who had won her heart.

The moment was interrupted by the loud, grating sound of microphone feedback and everyone's gaze was drawn to the deck where Mozzie stood in his festive attire, surrounded by the three African musicians and their accompanying drums, ready to take centre stage.

'Oh dear…' Neal said as he glanced at Sara and gave her an eyebrow wag.

'Time to pay the piper' she whispered with a giggle as they settled in side by side to listen to Mozzie's performance.

'I would like to introduce the Moroccan Marauders' Mozzie announced with a flourish as timid clapping was heard from the more than confused guests. 'They are here to help me with my gift to the bride and groom - a special wedding chant to mark this momentous occasion. Neal and Sara… may your life together be filled with love and laughter and may you go forward and multiply…' he slowed for a moment, hesitating before continuing. 'Hmm… maybe not so much that last part' he added as the crowd roared.

Neal's eyes grew and he glanced at his wife who gave him an eye roll as the gentle sound of drums was heard echoing throughout the backyard. The rhythm of the drums was pleasant enough — up until the shrill sound of Mozzie's voice was heard over their soft rumbling, chanting loudly into the microphone as all eyes turned to gawk at him in all his glory.

Neal knew this was the price he had to pay for having successfully kept Mozzie from acting on all his previous, outlandish suggestions for the ceremony; all he could do now was let things unfold with respect and dignity - and hope no one walked out of the party in response to the impromptu performance. If this is what it took to keep Moz happy, he could live with a short chant and he could tell by the look on Sara's face that she was willing to put up with it as well.

He leaned in, placing a kiss behind her ear as he murmured playfully. 'At least he didn't make you shave your head.'

Sara chuckled and gave him a radiant smile and in that moment, he loved her even more as he thought of all the years she'd put up with Mozzie's idiosyncrasies and crazy schemes - and more importantly, knowing that she'd done it all for him.

The chant went on much longer than expected - or necessary - and towards the end of Mozzie's warble, the younger children including the Rivers' twins and Chloe and Beatrice Jordan joined him on stage and began to dance with total abandon to the delight of the attendees who applauded enthusiastically - more in response to the spontaneous dancing than the actual chant.

Mozzie acknowledged the exuberant applause with his usual lack of humility, seemingly unaware - or perhaps not caring - that the crowd was actually applauding the _end_ of his chant and the DJ returned to seamlessly playing the selection of music which had been agreed upon for the celebration, responding to special requests from the guests and playing the list of tunes Neal and Sara had chosen for the occasion.

The happy couple resumed their rounds, greeting Dr. Cooper who asked for all the details surrounding little Jacob's birth and Marion Birch who listened with interest, thrilled to see her favourite clients looking so happy together after a couple of challenging years.

Neal spotted Jim McDougall from across the yard and he took Sara's hand, the two of them making their way over to say hi and noticing him holding a drink similar to theirs in his hand.

'Jim!' Neal called out as he shook the large man's hand. 'Thank you so much for coming. You remember my wife.'

'Hi Sara. Congratulations to both of you' Jim replied as he placed a kiss on the bride's cheek. 'You guys sure know how to throw a party. It's nice to finally meet the people I've heard so much about over the years. Peter's been great about introducing me to everyone.'

He glanced down at Neal's hand, noticing the champagne flute which he knew was filled with nothing but premium cider. 'So, how's it going?'

Neal lifted his glass in a toast and took a sip. 'No problem whatsoever' he replied. 'I haven't even thought about having a drink. I really think this was the right decision for me… at least for the time being.'

Sara took Neal's arm and squeezed gently in a sign of solidarity.

'Like I said, Neal' Jim replied. 'Everybody's different and whatever you decide to do has to feel right for you and your situation. You've got to go with your gut.'

'Thanks… and thanks again for seeing me last month. Unfortunately, I can't promise it'll be the last time I'll need your advice.'

'My door is always open, Neal. Whenever you need to talk.'

Sara glanced across the yard at Elizabeth who was gesticulating wildly in their direction. 'Honey, they're going to start serving dinner and El wants us to go first' she explained.

'See you after dinner?' Neal asked Jim who nodded enthusiastically.

'Of course. That beautiful redhead over there promised me a dance' he said, looking over at Emily who was waving coyly at him from a nearby table.

'Oh yeah?' Sara said with a shake of her head; leave it to Emily to fill her dance card with eligible bachelors.

Dinner was served buffet style and everyone paraded in through the house to serve themselves and return to the oversized gazebo to sit at tables of eight, the chatter growing ever louder as the guests prattled on, getting re-acquainted and exchanging stories about the newlyweds.

After dinner, Sara and Neal proceeded to cut the wedding cake with their kids at their side and the large tower of assorted cupcakes made its appearance at the dessert table as everyone oohed and aahed before diving into the mountain of succulent treats.

By nightfall, as anticipated, the place grew even more magical as the fairy lights came on and the younger children were directed to a tent for a movie night, complete with popcorn and candy floss. The busy crew assembled the make shift dance floor in the middle of the yard and the tables and chairs were rearranged all around as everyone took a seat with their dessert and coffee while easy listening music continued to waft through the Caffreys' backyard.

Neal was sitting at one of the tables alongside the Armstrongs and Hope and Cam, with baby Jacob nestled in his arms when Sara returned from inside the house. Little Jake was sound asleep and was being passed around from his daddy to his four eager grandparents who took turns holding him. Sara slipped in next to her husband and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the baby's forehead.

'Hey, little man' she whispered as she gazed at him and inhaled the amazing new baby scent emanating from her grandson.

'He looks just like you when _you_ were born' Bonnie Armstrong said to Cam as Fred Armstrong nodded in agreement.

'Those dimples are definitely an Armstrong trait' he added as Neal smiled broadly and pointed to the dimples appearing in the hollow of his cheeks.

'Are you kidding, Fred?' Neal argued. 'Those are _Caffrey dimples_ all the way!'

The women laughed and Hope gave Cameron a knowing look; the competition between grandparents was well under way, it seemed. Thankfully, both sets of grandparents didn't live nearby; otherwise, they'd be having to play referee for the next twenty or so years.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle as Elizabeth stood at the microphone, summoning the newlyweds for the first dance - to their wedding song. Neal reluctantly handed the baby back to Grampa Fred and got to his feet, hand outstretched for Sara who was still wearing that glow, even more pronounced, it seemed, now that the sun had set.

The first few chords of Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together' was heard, just as it had played the night before in their hotel room and Sara settled in Neal's arms as everyone gathered around to watch him whirl his bride around the dance floor. The gaping spectators didn't appear to faze the newlyweds, who swayed back and forth, totally immersed in each other's loving gaze as the music played, Neal's arms laced tightly around his wife's waist and her hands running languidly through his hair. There was some hooting and hollering and Neal seemed to come around, grabbing his wife and dipping her dramatically as everyone cheered him along. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the moment, the sight of Sara looking so beautiful in his arms, the woman he was crazy in love with and who'd just recommitted to sharing her life with him. He pulled her to him, whispering in her ear.

'I love you Repo' he said simply as she let herself melt in his arms.

Sara pulled away, bringing her hand to rest on his cheek and giving him a glowing smile as her bright eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Neal let out a sigh of perfect contentment and smiled back; his heart full to overflowing in a moment that could only be defined as pure bliss.

Suddenly, they became aware of others dancing around them, Hope and Cameron, Caitlin and Will, Liam and Cody then Ivy and Clinton, Diana and Christie and Peter and Elizabeth even Scott and Moira who tried as best they could to manoeuvre around her huge baby bump as they all moved to the riffs of the romantic love song.

The ballad morphed into another song, this time, the lively 'We Are Family', a tune which had been requested by the bride and groom and everyone gathered around, dancing and singing to the popular song at the top of their lungs. The group grew to encompass most of the guests on the small dance floor as practically everyone got in on the action, including some of the older kids who joined their parents in an impromptu dance.

The music went from there as song after song was played and the younger adults took to the dance floor, requesting some of their favourites as the older folks sat back and enjoyed the show.

'You enjoying yourself?' Peter asked Ken and Ginette Murphy as he set down a plateful of assorted cupcakes for the group at their table to indulge in.

'Dibs on maple!' Ken called out, reaching out to help himself to his favourite flavour.

'This is a wonderful party!' Ginette enthused, looking around the festive space. 'Elizabeth has real talent.'

Peter smiled, proud of his wife's accomplishments, as always. 'Yeah, she has a real knack for this sort of thing.'

'This is the best wedding we've been to in a long time' Christie Cooper commented as she and Diana joined the group, drinks in hand.

'Well Sara, you sure know how to throw a party' Ivy Jones echoed.

'I can't take any of the credit' Sara replied as she spotted her best friend off in the distance, talking to the DJ. 'Elizabeth pretty well did everything single-handedly.'

The music stopped and Elizabeth was seen standing at the microphone with Liam and Hope next to her as the loud chatter began to fade. There was relative quiet in the Caffreys' backyard except for the soft murmur of the movie soundtrack to 'Finding Elmo' coming from the children's tent where the younger generation had assembled with their popcorn and candy floss, some of them already snoozing under the moonlit sky.

'It's time to hear from the best man and the maid of honour' Elizabeth announced to applause as Liam stepped forward.

'Caitlin, where are you?' he asked the crowd as the pretty blonde popped out from where she'd been sitting with Will, Cody and the Millers. 'Come on up here and join us.'

Neal settled down with Jacob in his arms once again, Sara by his side as his ears perked up; it was nice to see Liam embracing Caitlin as a full fledged member of the family.

The trio of kids stood before the group, preparing to share their thoughts with everyone present.

'As best man, it's my job… and my honour, to tell you all about the groom, my dad' he began. 'I think we teased him plenty last night at his bachelor party…'

There was some hooting and hollering from the men who had been present for Neal's unabashed roasting and Liam waited for the crowd to simmer down before continuing.

'…so, tonight I want to focus on my relationship with my dad who, I should let it be known right off the bat, is the best father that ever lived.'

A collective 'awww' was heard from the group and Liam chuckled.

'All right, all right. Enough!' he called out with a shrug. 'Hope, Caitlin and I have had a front row seat over the years and the three of us have seen what makes these two tick. I've been around for twenty of their twenty-five years of marriage and my sister has been around since even before they tied the knot the first time.'

Neal and Sara exchanged glances and Sara slipped her arm into Neal's as he cradled the baby against his chest and listened.

'I'm not going to try to convince you that they're perfect or that they never argue because… well, it's just not true. They argue plenty. About _all_ kinds of things. But the reason their relationship is so strong and enduring is because of the respect they've always had for one another. First and foremost, they are both strong individuals who are amazing in their own right and as a couple… well, they're a real powerhouse. I can't think of very many disagreements they've had that haven't ended with a kiss or a nuzzle or that goofy look they get that embarrasses everybody who happens to be in the room at the time. If you know my folks, you know what I'm talking about. Although they take each other's feelings very seriously, they don't take _themselves_ too seriously and they usually find a way to laugh about things before they get too far out of hand. My dad… well, he doesn't hold a grudge and I've learned from watching him that some things are much more important than being right or winning an argument - namely being happy… or making my mom happy.'

There were soft chuckles as Liam carried on.

'My dad is one of the smartest men I know. He's creative, he's an amazing artist and he's a warm, loving, kind and generous human being and I hope that when I'm his age, I can be half the man he is today' Liam said, his voice getting a little shaky.

Neal could feel his throat tightening and he felt Sara squeezing his arm as she held on to him.

'When I was just a little guy, Dad told me that shooting stars made your dreams come true and I started to make all kinds of wishes including wanting a dog - which I did end up getting - even though it did take about three years for that one to come true.'

Laughter was heard resonating in the night air. 'Whenever he told me something, anything, it was the gospel truth and ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper, he has never steered me wrong. Dad has always been there to support me, to help make my dreams come true.'

'My path in life is different from his… and Hope's and Caitlin's. And Dad has always supported me in all the decisions I've made throughout my life. Some of them have been difficult…' Liam said as his eyes moved to look at Cody. '…but Dad taught us that being brave means forging ahead even when we're scared and even when things get tough.'

Liam could feel the mood growing serious and he took a deep breath, intent on lightening things up. 'Mom and Dad have given us kids lots of advice and words of wisdom over the years - some practical stuff like… make sure you're always wearing clean underwear in case you get into an accident, don't cross your eyes because they'll stay that way and don't overcook spaghetti because it'll get all sticky.'

Everyone laughed and Liam seemed to relax. 'That last one is mostly Dad because… pretty well everybody who knows my parents knows that my mom… well, let's just say the term 'domestic goddess' wasn't coined with her in mind. But I'll let the maid of honour tell you more about my mom in a minute.'

'Anyway, Dad. Thank you… for being supportive and understanding, for always believing in me… for letting me fall on my face when I needed to and for helping me get back on my feet when I did… and for helping me see the error of my ways when I was about to make a huge mistake and step right into a fresh pile of sh—'

He stopped suddenly as he saw some of the older kids looking up at him. '…manure' he said as everyone laughed.

'All three of us have pulled our share of crazy stunts over the years but you never gave up on us and you showed us that with respect for others and a healthy dose of self-esteem, we could go a long way in this life. Here's to the groom, my dad, Neal Caffrey' he concluded as he raised his glass in a toast.

'To Neal!' voices could be heard echoing through the garden.

Hope stepped up to the microphone to the hoots and hollers of everyone. 'Hi' she said with a bright smile. 'When I prepared my notes for tonight… I… well, I had no idea what it was like to be a parent myself but as it turns out…'

Everyone erupted in cheer at her comment and she looked over fondly at her dad who was holding her precious baby boy in his arms.

'Now, I have _loads_ of experience' she continued as everyone laughed. 'And I know of which I speak.'

'Seriously, where do I begin where my parents are concerned? My mom has been such an incredible role model and an inspiration for me my whole life. She taught me that I could do anything, _be_ anything and that when life throws you a curve ball… well, you've got to roll with the punches and then work hard to get back on your feet. When I was only two years old, my mom got cancer' Hope said as silence descended on the open space.

'I don't remember a whole lot about that period in my life but what I _do_ remember is that she never gave up. When I got older, she told me that she didn't know back then what the outcome would be but that she wanted me to know that she'd done everything she could to fight back… to stay with me and Dad and… I just can't even imagine how scared she must have been. My mom is a fighter, an incredibly strong, determined woman and when she decides she's doing something, there's not a whole lot you can do to stop her… as my dad has found out on multiple occasions. Like Liam, what I appreciate most about my folks is that they are both strong individuals with a great sense of humour and, whenever they disagree, they're both able to let it go and not let things fester. They've taught me that being happy is so much more important than being right and that you should always try to finish any argument with a hug or a kiss. I've seen my parents argue sooooo many times over the years and it almost always ends with my dad making my mom crack up while she tries desperately to stay mad at him for a few minutes longer.'

Sara smiled broadly and looked over at Neal; her daughter was speaking the truth.

'When I met Cameron Armstrong, he reminded me so much of my dad. He was sweet and kind and funny and he made me laugh and that's what made me fall for him, hook, line and sinker. I hope that in another twenty-four years, Cam and I will be standing up here looking back on our marriage with the same joy my parents have today.'

'We've all been through a lot… Mom's illness, her… the fallout from her kidnapping, Dad's had some tough times too but we've always pulled together as a family. Mom and Dad scrimped and saved for me to go to Carnegie Mellon and even though life had other plans for me, I always knew they would stand by me no matter what life sent my way. When I was injured five years ago, both my mom and dad were there for me. Dad came to the hospital every single day for almost five months - every morning, he would show up and help me with my physio, read to me and every day at around five o'clock, Mom would show up to help me with dinner and she would sit and talk to me and tell me everything that was going on with everyone and remind me that I was getting stronger with every passing day. They're still there for me today… as a matter of fact, two nights ago when I went into early labour, they were there to see me through it and they kept me sane until the paramedics and Cameron could get there. They were the first ones to see our baby and… the truth is, I was terrified and I'm just so thankful they were there for me that night.'

Neal looked up, with Jacob nestled in his arms, tears forming in his eyes. Being there to see his grandson born had been an incredibly intense experience, one he could never have imagined and that he would cherish for the rest of his days.

Hope began to cry as she spoke, her face contorting and her eyes growing red. 'Okay, I should have warned you' she sobbed, 'I'm a really ugly crier and… I plan on blaming any meltdown on hormones for the foreseeable future.'

Cameron looked over at his wife, fighting the urge to run over to where she stood to take her in his arms and comfort her. He settled for smiling at her and giving her a wink and a thumbs up.

'Sorry…' she finally said as the group grew quiet. 'Mom, you're the best and I'm so honoured to have stood beside you while you renewed your wedding vows today. Daddy… she's a keeper' she added as everyone applauded.

Caitlin stepped forward and took the floor; she was grateful to be included on such a momentous occasion but more importantly, she was proud to be part of this amazing family.

'I'm the honorary Caffrey' she announced as everyone chuckled. 'I came into the family six years ago because Mr. C saw something in me that I couldn't even see myself. I have given them sooooo many reasons to throw me out but… well, for some reason I'll never understand, they just keep giving me more chances and… well, here I am.'

Everyone laughed and Caitlin seemed to relax a little. 'I was pretty messed up when I showed up at Mr. C's school when I was fifteen. I was into drugs, I was lying, stealing and basically always looking for the easy way out of any situation and in the beginning… well, I couldn't believe these two were for real. All that geeking out, the long lingering looks, the way Sara drooled whenever Mr. C was around and the way he was always touching her when he thought we weren't looking. I had never seen anything like it and I had no idea people could feel like that about each other.'

Neal and Sara listened intently to their foster daughter; they had never given up on her despite all those years of watching her mess up over and over again.

'I was… I was going to say 'raised' but really… I was _never_ raised. I just went from one foster home to the next, never really connecting with anyone in any meaningful way. And then one day, I met Mr. C and he took me under his wing. He gave me a place where I could practice sculpting and he invited me to meet his family. At first, I thought there had to be some angle but with Sara and Mr. C, what you see is what you get. The first time I heard them arguing, I got scared and then, Mr. C came over and put his arms around Sara and she sort of pushed him away but not really… and then, she was laughing and he was kissing her and I looked at Hope and Liam who didn't seem all that surprised and I thought… what the hell?'

Neal shook his head in disbelief; leave it to Caitlin to say things, unfiltered.

'Anyway…' she continued, growing serious. 'I'm really thankful to be a part of this amazing family and sometimes I wish I could be a Caffrey too… and I guess I sort of am…'

Hope and Liam stood on either side of the young woman and put their arms around her as she got uncharacteristically emotional. Hope, who seemed to have recovered from her bout of hormone overload spoke up, holding her glass of champagne up towards her parents.

'Mom, Dad we love you and we want to thank you for giving us the greatest gift of all - showing us what love and commitment are all about. You two have always brought out the best in each other and you've always put each other's needs and your children's needs ahead of your own. You've taught us that you don't bail at the first sign of trouble, that you need to stick with it even when things get rough and that commitment isn't only for the good times but that it's _especially_ for those times when it might seem easier to just walk away. We are so grateful to have you as parents and we love you both so very much.'

There was loud applause to the words spoken by Hope whose sentiment seemed to be shared by all in attendance.

Sara wiped her eyes and lay her head on Neal's shoulder as he lifted his hand to cradle her face, Jacob still sound asleep in his arms.

They were surrounded by friends and family and most importantly, unconditional love.

TBC


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

The celebration finally began to wind down shortly after eleven o'clock as, one by one, the guests started to take their leave, beginning with the ones who had young children. Most of the kids had to be roused from a food coma following an overdose at the candy buffet, some having managed to drift off to sleep in the movie tent, a bucket of popcorn still firmly in their grasp.

Sara and Neal positioned themselves by the back door, thanking everyone individually as they prepared to leave and making sure each of the guests received their thank you gift, including the amazing goodie bags El had prepared for each of the kids in attendance.

A soft summer breeze swept through the Caffreys' backyard as the last of the stragglers remained seated in small clusters, chatting quietly into the night, notably the younger generation who still had energy left after many hours of letting loose on the dance floor.

Hope, Liam, Cody, Caitlin and Will sat at one of the tables, enjoying the last of the champagne while Cam took a run up to the house to check on baby Jacob who had been tucked away safe and sound in his new bedroom upstairs.

'How is he?' Hope asked as Cam reappeared.

'He's out like a light' he replied, returning to his spot next to his wife and patting his lap. Hope immediately put her feet back up and sighed as Cam resumed the foot rub which had been momentarily interrupted.

'I could use one of those' Caitlin said, slipping off her shoes and stretching her legs; Will reached out for her, rising to the occasion with a good-natured smile.

'That was one hell of a party' Cody commented as Liam ran his hand languidly up and down his boyfriend's back.

'You…' he added as he placed a kiss on Liam's lips, '…were amazing tonight.'

Liam arched his eyebrow and smiled naughtily in response. 'You thought _that_ was amazing, you ain't seen nothin' yet' he quipped as everyone chuckled.

Nearby, Peter sat with Ginette and Ken Murphy as the older couple waited for the crowd to thin out a little before making their exit. Elizabeth continued to flutter around them like a busy little bee, thanking the hired help, barking orders and making arrangements for dismantling and pick-ups the next day.

By all standards, everything had gone almost perfectly to script due, in large part, to Elizabeth's meticulous planning and rigorous supervision of every single aspect of the celebration from food preparation to decoration of the venue to the tightly adhered to schedule of activities. Mozzie's little foray into African chants had been but a small blip on what had been, by all accounts, a magical day for all involved. Peter couldn't help but notice El was looking a little wilted as he watched her flitter around the yard, knowing full well there was nothing he could do but let her finish the job she'd started.

'I'm really glad you've decided to spend your last night with us' Peter said to Ken. 'I don't know why you insisted on staying at a hotel in the first place.'

'Don't you think you had enough on your plate?' Ginette replied. 'With the bachelorette party and all?'

'Well, we're thrilled to be able to spend tomorrow with you. El's already prepared some stuff for brunch and we want to take you guys to visit Central Park before you leave.'

Ken smiled but remained quiet. He looked so much older than the last time Peter had seen him; and of course, he was. The man was well into his eighties and despite his generally robust health, he had definitely slowed down some since Peter and El had last visited them in Ohio.

'It's been a lot of fun visiting New York' Ginette remarked. 'But…. we're getting a little old for the whole 'tourist' thing. Why don't you just let us take you out for an early dinner before our flight tomorrow night.'

Peter began to read between the lines. 'Sure… sure' he replied. 'Whatever works for you guys is fine with us.'

They were interrupted by Emily's voice nearby. 'What about these, El? Do they need to be tidied up tonight?' she asked the event planner.

'No, those can stay. They'll be back in the morning to pick them up' Elizabeth replied as she busied herself with checking on whatever food still remained outside.

'Honey, are you planning on sitting down any time soon?' Peter asked from a few feet away.

Elizabeth did a double take as she took in the sight of her husband sitting alongside their old friends; maybe she _was_ getting a little carried away with all the micro-managing.

'Yeah… sure' she murmured. 'Emily! Come on, let's sit and have a drink.'

The two women had just taken a seat when Sara and Neal appeared before them, looking a little worse for wear after much celebrating and a day filled with intense emotions. Sara grabbed Neal's arm for support and reached down to remove her shoes, letting out a loud sigh of relief as he chuckled.

'I really don't know how you put up with those things' he commented as he let himself fall into a chair and pulled Sara onto his lap.

She groaned. 'Well, lucky for you guys, you don't have to worry about wearing heels.'

Neal smiled up at her, his hand lingering on her back and, letting his hand drop to her hip, he pulled her in closer and kissed her soundly, oblivious to the captive audience sitting around the table.

Peter and El exchanged knowing looks; watching Sara and Neal go at it was nothing new to them and besides, it was nice to see just how much the two lovebirds were enjoying their special day.

'You two look very happy' Ginette said as she reached out for her husband's hand and squeezed.

'We're really glad we came' Ken added with a gentle smile.

'Well, we're thrilled you came all this way, just for us' Sara said. 'It means an awful lot to us, doesn't it, honey?'

Neal nodded and smiled at the older couple. 'It does. And thanks again for your generous donation to the art school. We really appreciate it. A lot of kids just like Caitlin will have access to art classes because of your generosity.'

'You've obviously done something right with that young lady' Ken said, glancing in Caitlin's direction. 'Peter was showing me some of her work, she's really very talented.'

'And it's obvious she holds you in high regard' Ginette added.

'Well, she certainly has come a long way since the first day we invited her into our home' Sara admitted, recalling those first few horrible months and the number of times they'd been tempted to give up on the wayward teen.

Elizabeth took a nice, long sip of wine and let out a laboured breath; she was just beginning to relax when she noticed Ken yawning from across the table, looking like he was about to nod off.

'Ready to call it a night?' El asked the older gentleman who nodded in response.

She glanced over at Neal and Sara noticing that, despite the undeniable fatigue written all over their faces, they still had that wonderful glow of excitement in their eyes.

'Listen to me, you two. I mean this!' she said emphatically as she leaned in to make her point. 'You are _not_ to do anything, do you hear me? Stéphane will be back in the morning to collect all his stuff. You have a bunch of leftovers already labelled and tucked away in the fridge and someone will be by tomorrow morning to pick up the tables and chairs and…'

'El! El!' Emily interrupted, putting her hand up to silence her. 'You already told me all this, remember? Now, stop worrying, I'll make sure everything gets done… and Neal and Sara won't have to lift a finger.'

Elizabeth frowned in response; relinquishing control had never really been her thing.

'And I promise to call you if there's _any_ problem' Emily added for good measure.

Whether it was the overwhelming fatigue following weeks of preparation or simply the realization that Emily had things under control, either way, Elizabeth seemed to back off and she let out another audible sigh as she nodded in understanding. For a moment there, she wasn't sure her legs would carry her but the thought of her warm, cosy bed spurred her into action.

'All right, all right!' she said getting to her feet before her legs atrophied and ceased to function.

Sara followed suit, bolting from Neal's lap and moving in to hug her best friend.

'Oh El!' We'll never be able to thank you for everything you've done for us' she said as Neal stood to join them.

'It was perfect, Elizabeth, thank you' he said, hugging her tightly. 'Better than I could have possibly imagined.'

Peter watched the exchange of hugs; he knew that despite the exhaustion apparent on his wife's face, she was thrilled with how things had gone and happy to have been able to do this for their best friends.

With a little additional prodding, El, Peter, Ginette and Ken were finally ushered out the door and waved off before Neal and Sara returned to their magical backyard to join the kids who were still lounging around, sharing one last bottle of champagne under the moonlit sky.

Neal was still high from the events of the day and he settled his wife onto his lap once more, apparently unwilling to have her out of his immediate reach. Sara was more than willing to curl up against him and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, cradling him against her chest as he sighed in contentment, snuggling up to her.

'So, Mom? Did today live up to your expectations?' Hope asked, as if the answer wasn't obvious in the lopsided grin on her mother's face.

Sara looked at Neal, that goofy look lingering. 'It's been an amazing day' she said dreamily as Neal nodded and actually purred, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

Liam and Hope exchanged amused looks as the lovebirds continued with their unabashed public display of affection - nothing the siblings hadn't been witness to for most of their lives.

Will and Caitlin exchanged smiles; neither one of them had grown up with parents who were this much in love and it was nice to imagine that such a close and loving relationship was possible - maybe even for them.

'Dad, are you sure you don't want to take Mom upstairs? It's a little more private up there' Liam teased as Neal reluctantly extricated his lips from his wife's neck momentarily to grin at his son.

'I will… eventually' he teased right back, returning his attention to everyone around the table. 'You know, you guys were incredible today.'

Cameron looked over at his wife, noticing her finally relaxing after a turbulent few days. 'Your dad's right. You two did a terrific job with the speeches.'

'Well, we meant every word we said, didn't we Hope?' Liam replied. 'You guys are… the best.'

'All right' Neal said, sitting up a little straighter in his chair, as if getting his second wind. 'That's enough mutual admiration for one night. It's getting late. Honey, do you and Cam want to sleep over?' he asked, turning his attention to Hope.

As appealing as the offer was, staying over meant they'd have to squeeze in with all the other guests and residents, including her aunt Emily and Will whose status had been bumped up to that of permanent guest - at least for the time being.

'As tempting as that sounds…' she began as she glanced at her husband.

'Yeah, I think I'd better get my little family home to bed' Cameron said, rising from the table.

'You could leave Jacob for the night, he's already sound asleep' Neal offered as Sara nodded in agreement. 'We don't mind, do we, Repo?'

'Dad… I have to nurse him in another hour and besides…' Hope said, looking at Cam, '…we're not really ready to let him out of our sight quite yet… even if it is with his amazing grandparents' she hastened to add as she noticed the look of disappointment in her dad's eyes.

'I am _so_ exhausted' she complained as she prepared to get to her feet. 'I don't even know if I can make it to the car.'

She forced herself to stand, grabbing for her shoes and taking a few steps in the cool grass in her bare feet as Cam winked mischievously at his in-laws and came up behind her, scooping her up in his arms as she began to protest. He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, delighting in the giggling that ensued.

'Cameron Armstrong!' Hope shouted in mock frustration as she took a couple of good swipes at his backside. 'You put me down, right this minute!'

'Yeah, yeah… whatever' he replied as he kept walking resolutely towards the back door with Hope firmly in his grasp.

'Every now and then, you gotta show 'em who's boss' he shouted over his shoulder as Neal and Sara chuckled and followed them out of the yard.

WCWCWC

The deafening silence seemed strangely unsettling after the raucous and joyful sounds which had resonated throughout the house and backyard all day. Neal and Sara lay in bed, rehashing the day's events and fighting the onset of sleep as long as they possibly could.

'You ' _love that I'm a lousy cook_ '?' Sara said as she melted into his side.

'Did I _really_ say that?' Neal asked, incredulous.

She slapped his chest playfully. 'Yes! Seriously, Caffrey? Where did that come from?'

Neal chuckled. 'I guess I was just blathering on… I don't even remember _half_ of what I said. It wasn't exactly what I'd planned on saying.'

'Oh, honey, it was perfect…' Sara replied, her voice quiet as she ran her hand languidly across his chest.

Neal brought his lips to her forehead, stifling a yawn as he deposited a gentle kiss.

'It _was_ perfect, wasn't it… all of it, from beginning to end' he agreed.

He grew quiet as he replayed the events of the magical day in his tired mind. 'Babe…' he said, his voice soft, '…you looked _so_ beautiful today.'

'I _felt_ beautiful but then again, when you look at me the way you do… well, you always make me feel beautiful.'

Neal smiled, squeezing her shoulder, unable to suppress a long, drawn out yawn. 'It's a good thing we had our _honeymoon_ this morning' he quipped, recalling their romp in the sheets earlier in the day. 'I'm not sure I'd be up for anything much tonight, I'm wiped.'

Sara lifted her head off his chest in order to get a better look at his face in the darkened room. 'Not as spry as you were on our first wedding night, huh, Caffrey?' she teased as he balked in response.

'So, how are you feeling, anyway?' she asked, pointing in the general direction of his sleep pants. 'Does it still hurt?'

'Naw. It's just a little tight when I stretch' Neal admitted. 'But I promise I'll be in tip top shape by the time we leave on Wednesday' he added gleefully.

'Mmmm' Sara moaned in anticipation. 'It's going to be fantastic. And now, we don't have to worry about Hope having the baby while we're gone.'

'Uh huh' Neal replied lazily. 'Although, I really don't want to be away from him for a whole ten days.'

'Yeah, he might be off to university by the time we get back' Sara chuckled.

She let out a long slow breath and brought her hand up to admire her wedding ring in the moonlit room; it was finally back where it belonged after a few weeks of her having been deprived of wearing it.

'Did you check the inside?' Neal asked mischievously.

'The inside? What do you mean?' Sara began as Neal idly reached out, turning on the bedside lamp and reaching for Sara's pesky, albeit essential, reading glasses - the curse of being fifty.

Her face brightened and she untangled herself from Neal, taking the cursed bifocals from his hand and hastily pulling the ring off her finger as she eagerly checked the inside of the band.

The inscription which had been there since their first wedding had faded with time to the point of having become practically indecipherable but now it had totally vanished, replaced by a fresh inscription in beautiful new script - _almost_ large enough for her to make out without her reading glasses - but not quite.

She gasped as she read it.

'Oh Neal…' she whimpered, emotion getting the better of her. 'That's beautiful!'

He studied her face as she removed her glasses and squinted so she could read it once more. It had been a challenge to sum up his feelings in just a few words but he'd settled on the short phrase— an accurate reflection of how he felt whenever he thought of his wife.

' _You still take my breath away'_ she murmured softly, repeating it twice like a mantra as if she were committing it to memory. She stared down at the ring and lovingly ran her hand over the engraving, biting her lip to keep from crying.

'Do I? Really?' she asked, overcome with emotion.

Neal's face grew serious and his voice, rough with emotion. 'Always and forever' he whispered, his grasp tightening around her shoulder.

Sara leaned in to place a kiss on his lips, her mouth quivering as she fought tears. She pulled away, laughing breathlessly and settled once again in his open arms as he reached over to turn off the bedside lamp, plunging them once again in comforting darkness.

'What an incredible week it's been, huh?' Neal sighed, his voice finally giving out from fatigue.

'We'll have these amazing memories for the rest of our lives' Sara countered dreamily.

'Mmmmm' was all Neal was up to answering. As much as he wanted to stay awake a little while longer, his body was giving out and he could feel sleep invading his consciousness despite his best efforts to stave it off.

'Love you' he managed to murmur before growing quiet.

'Me too, Caffrey. Love you so much' Sara countered, her eyes drifting shut.

Quiet resumed as their bodies finally gave in to the overwhelming fatigue.

And that, dear friends, is how Neal Caffrey and Sara Ellis began their second twenty-five years of married life.

WCWCWC

'I'm exhausted but I don't want the night to end' Caitlin admitted as the foursome sat, with only the sound of distant crickets to keep them company.

'Mom and Dad looked so happy' Liam said, his hand lingering lovingly up and down Cody's back.

'Yeah, your parents are something else, that's for sure' Cody replied, curling up against Liam as best he could, considering they were sitting in a couple of solid back chairs.

Caitlin glanced over towards the deck where things had been left in disarray since the ceremony had ended. 'Where did the hammock go?'

Liam gave a quick glance in the same direction. 'We just tucked it away to the side of the house. Why?'

Caitlin gave Will a naughty smile and got to her feet, putting out her hand for him to take. 'Let's go see.'

Will wasn't too sure what she had in mind but in the short time he'd been with Caitlin Somersby, he'd learned that you didn't argue with her whenever she got that mischievous look in her eyes.

'Good night, guys!' Will called out over his shoulder as he followed Caitlin up towards the house.

'And then, there were two…' Cody sighed as the two men sat there alone in the large back yard surrounded by the vestiges of one hell of a party.

'Do you want more champagne?' Liam asked as he reached idly for his glass and took a sip.

'No… I think we've both had enough' Cody replied, sounding tired.

Liam got to his feet, a little more unsteadily than he'd expected. 'Yeah, I guess we've had our fill' he agreed as he took Cody's hand and pulled him towards him, arms tightly wrapped around his boyfriend's shoulders.

Their gazes met and they both melted into a smile as Cody laced his arms around Liam and began to move gently, swaying from side to side to some imaginary cadence.

'One last dance' he said languidly, Liam's eyes sparkling as they began to shuffle their feet to the sound of some silent tune only they could hear.

'All this talk about marriage has been giving me ideas' Cody murmured as he brought his lips to Liam's mouth, nipping at his bottom lip playfully.

'You're kidding, right?' Liam replied with a loopy grin.

'Kind of… it just makes me realize… I love you' Cody said soberly.

Liam grew serious. 'I love you too, babe' he replied, kissing Cody fiercely and shutting him up in the process.

Cody let out a long sigh of satisfaction and let his hands reach down to cup Liam's butt, squeezing and eliciting a small moan from his boyfriend's lips.

'You really shouldn't drive…' Liam whispered, his mouth lingering against Cody's ear. 'And it's really late to be calling a cab.'

'Why, Liam Caffrey, what are you suggesting?' Cody asked with a put-on frown.

'We could… sneak up to my room' Liam said, his voice growing rough.

'But your folks' bedroom is right across from yours' Cody pointed out - a fact which had not escaped Liam in the least. 'I'm not so sure they'd approve.'

'I think my folks looked like they were dead on their feet, they're probably sound asleep by now' Liam cooed as he kissed Cody again. '…or otherwise engaged.'

Cody seemed hesitant and Liam gave him a playful tug.

'Come on… another thing my dad taught me is that, in certain circumstances, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission…' Liam retorted with a naughty eye brow wag.

'But isn't Will bunking in with you?' the young man asked, increasingly tempted to accept Liam's proposition.

Liam raised his eyebrow in skepticism. 'Seriously? Do you really think we're going to succeed in prying those two apart tonight?' he asked, giving a head nod in the direction of the deck where Caitlin and Will seemed to have settled together in the oversized hammock.

'We'd have to be really quiet…' Cody whispered suggestively.

'We can be quiet' Liam murmured, his mouth exploring Cody's neck and his hand pulling insistently to loosen his tie.

'You are such a bad influence on me' Cody murmured.

'Oh, _I'm_ a bad influence on _you_!' Liam declared with a wide grin as he pulled his boyfriend in to him.

Arms laced together, the two lovers began the short walk back to the house.

WCWCWC

'Is that the big dipper?' Caitlin asked as she lay in Will's arms and stared up at the sky.

Will moaned, his mind distracted by her warm body pressed up against his. 'I have no idea' he murmured, kissing her neck insistently and letting his hand linger under her top.

She gave up and turned to face him, the hammock swaying gently beneath them. 'Neither do I. I know nothing about astrology.'

He tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a giggle. 'I think you mean _astronomy_ and, frankly, I don't give a damn about either one of them right now.'

'You're really very smart, William Allenby' she said, stoking his ego.

'I would prefer if you focussed on some other part of my anatomy… for now' he moaned as he took her hand in his and brought it to rest on his belt buckle, squirming under its weight.

'You really want to do this out here… in the open?' Caitlin asked, her lips meeting his as she began to get with the program.

He continued kissing her, speaking in spurts between little nips at her lower lip. 'There's nobody… but frogs… and crickets… out here.'

She let out a soft moan as his hand wandered down her body and reached down between her legs.

'But what about…' she began, pointing up towards her foster parents' bedroom, above their heads.

'I'm pretty sure Mr. and Mrs. Caffrey are not thinking about us on their wedding night' he replied with a sigh.

Caitlin pulled away to look into his eyes. 'And besides' he continued. 'This is nothing they haven't done themselves, I'm sure.'

'Ooooh, don't!' Caitlin groaned. 'They're like my folks, I don't like to…'

He cut her off with a kiss, his lips firmly locked on hers, making it impossible for her to finish her thought.

The warm night breeze tickled her skin and Caitlin willingly gave in to Will Allenby's warm, loving touch.

WCWCWC

'So? How did everybody sleep last night?' Neal asked as he sat at the kitchen table, facing a bleary-eyed foursome.

'Good' Liam muttered, careful to avoid his dad's probing gaze.

'F-f-fine…' Caitlin stammered as she felt herself blush.

Cody nodded silently and Will cringed and stared down at his cereal, pretending to be engrossed in those little o's that were floating in his milk.

'Well, Mom and I slept like babies' Neal said, looking from Caitlin to Liam and smiling mischievously.

'Of course, we did hear some strange noises at some point… some moaning and groaning… Did you guys hear any of that?' Neal asked pointedly, taking obvious pleasure in goading them.

Caitlin and Liam looked at each other, summoning up the most innocent expressions they could muster despite the blush blooming on their cheeks.

'No…no' Liam replied as Cody coughed nervously.

'I didn't hear a thing' Caitlin added while Will continued staring at his cereal as if it was the second coming.

Liam got to his feet, determined to end the awkward conversation; there was nothing like knowing your parents had been privy to your amorous endeavours to make you want to totally vanish into thin air.

He stood with his hands deep in his pocket, fidgeting uncharacteristically. 'So, what's everybody up to today?'

'Well, your mom and I have to pick up a few last minute things for our trip and it's your aunt Emily's last day here so we're going to take her out for lunch.'

'Bonjour, toute le monde' Sara's voice was heard as she floated into the room, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed.

'Honey, it's ' _tout_ le monde' not ' _toute_ le monde' Neal corrected as he stood to greet her with a kiss.

Sara scowled in response to the gentle reprimand. 'Neal, how do you expect me not to be embarrassed about speaking French if you keep correcting me in front of everybody?' she complained, obviously miffed.

'And how do you expect to learn the correct way of saying something if I don't tell you when you're saying it wrong' he replied, arms reaching around her hips and grinning broadly '…mon amour…' he added sweetly as he batted his eyelashes at her.

'Mon amour…' Sara repeated languidly, her heavy American accent obvious. 'Everything sounds so much _mieux_ in French.'

Neal nodded in appreciation. 'Good one, babe.'

'Well, I've got a shift starting at noon at the store' Will said as he abruptly got to his feet and put his now empty bowl into the dishwasher.

He felt as if every single sound he and Caitlin had made the night before had not only been overheard but had been scrutinized by the Caffreys and he was so embarrassed, he couldn't get out of the kitchen fast enough.

'Yeah, and Cody and I are meeting up with some friends' Liam said as the two guys stood simultaneously, eager to get away from the awkwardness of the moment.

'Me too…' Caitlin said as she followed them all out. 'I mean… I've got stuff to do.'

There was nothing quite like having your parents overhear you being intimate with your significant other to make you want to slink away as fast as your legs could carry you and go hide in a hole somewhere, never to return.

Neal chuckled, amused by the situation - something he could certainly relate to. Sara, on the other hand, looked over at her husband, mystified by their precipitous exit, not quite understanding how she'd managed to clear the room in under a minute.

'What?' she said, staring at Neal with a look of total bewilderment. 'Is it something I said?'

TBC


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60**

'How awkward was that?' Will asked rhetorically as they left the quiet street.

Caitlin giggled. 'Mr. C's weird that way, he was just teasing us, that's all.'

'Still… remind me never to get carried away like that again' he moaned as he glanced at her, sitting next to him in the car.

'Well, at least we'll have some privacy when they leave for Paris on Wednesday' she replied with a grin.

Will frowned. 'So, remind me again, why you're coming to work with me.'

'I'm just going to pick up a few things at the dollar store for the kids at the day care' she said with a wistful smile.

Whenever Caitlin talked about the kids from the day care, she would get a predictable twinkle in her eye. Will had already heard all about little Petra who made herself throw up whenever she was forced to eat vegetables and three-year-old Jonah who loved to play with cars and trucks to say nothing of baby Henry who was teething and didn't sleep for more than twenty minutes at a time and little Anika who was a notorious biter. He envied Caitlin for having such a clear career path and he was looking forward to finding out if his own instincts about a career in medicine would live up to his expectations.

'You're really enjoying your job at the day care, aren't you?' he asked, finally relaxing.

'Yeah… the kids are great and it's really good experience for later…' she replied, her voice drifting off.

Whether she was alluding to having children of her own someday or talking about her future career in education, Will couldn't tell. But, regardless, she was great with kids and he loved watching her interact with them, most notably Beatrice and Chloe Jordan who were frequent visitors to the Caffrey home.

His mind wandered to his most immediate concern: his living arrangements. As much as he appreciated the offer of a place to stay - and the obvious perks of having Caitlin under the same roof - he couldn't count on the charity of the Caffreys forever and he needed to be thinking ahead to the future. He doubted his dad would come around and even if he did, he was beginning to realize it wouldn't be wise to return to living in the same house as the man who needed to have so much control over his life. His father would never let this go and sharing a home with someone who constantly called your judgement into question was something Will just wasn't prepared to do anymore.

'You know, I've been thinking…' he began, throwing out the idea that had been floating around his head for the past twenty-four hours '…maybe it's time I think about getting a small place of my own.'

Caitlin studied the look of determination on her boyfriend's face; frankly, she'd been thinking the same thing. Her job gave her just enough cash to be able to afford a small place in the burbs as long as Neal and Sara continued to help pay for her education, which they had already assured her they were more than willing to do.

'I've been thinking the same thing' she admitted. 'I mean… I mentioned it to Sara just the other day. She and Mr. C deserve to have some quality time alone now that Liam's moved away to school. I actually started scoping out some bachelor apartments in New Rochelle, near the day care.'

Will took in what she was saying, growing reflective. She hadn't mentioned her plans to him but his mind couldn't help but wander to what was as plain as the nose on his face. It was certainly premature to be thinking about such a notion but he couldn't help wondering about the possibility of them getting a place together. He bit his tongue, noticing his girlfriend growing increasingly quiet; perhaps she was thinking the same thing he was.

'Oh yeah?' he said with a frown. 'I didn't realize you'd been thinking about moving out.'

'It hardly seems fair to Sara and Mr. C' Caitlin continued. 'They've already raised their kids and then there's me… just hanging on.'

'I never got the feeling it bothered them to have you living at home' Will volunteered.

'I'm sure it doesn't. But… it kind of bothers me. They've given me so much already and it's time I learn to stand on my own two feet.'

Will nodded, his eyes returning to the road ahead. Food for thought, definitely food for thought.

WCWCWC

Sara picked up the pair of shoes and contemplated them, glancing at the other four pair which were lying on the bed. Although she couldn't drag her whole wardrobe overseas with her, she was having trouble deciding what to take and what to leave behind. After all, each pair of shoes was an important and unique complement to her extensive wardrobe and she couldn't bear not having the right shoe for every occasion - something which had been her Achilles heel (no pun intended) for over thirty years. She sighed and threw them back down on the bed, stepping away to look at the mountain of clothes which had accumulated. Neal would have a fit when he got a load of this; at this rate, she'd be needing a large trunk to take it all.

They would be gone for ten days and Neal had already booked ahead at a couple of high end restaurants he wanted to try, including a very elite place called _La tourbière,_ where an old friend from his previous life was presently employed as sous chef. He'd also suggested they take in a couple of concerts and plays and then there was all the walking they'd be doing as they crisscrossed the city, visiting museums and galleries and just generally taking in the sights.

She returned to the closet and pulled out a few more dresses suitable for evening wear, comparing them to each other and selecting two more for the increasing pile on the bed.

Average temperatures in Paris during the month of June were just slightly under the averages for New York and she pulled out another couple of light sweaters for casual evening wear, throwing them atop the growing mound as she imagined her and Neal strolling along the Seine in the early evening after a wonderful meal. One quick glance at the large suitcase that sat at the end of the bed confirmed what she'd feared: she would never get all this stuff to fit into one suitcase - no matter the size.

Neal had been adamant that _one_ suitcase each was all they could afford to take and she was eager to see if he, Mr. Clothes Whore, would be able to stick to the self-imposed constraint.

She heard Raffie let out a grumble followed by Neal's voice, wafting up from downstairs.

'Sara!' he called out. 'Can you come down here for a minute?'

WCWCWC

Neal had been busy going over the work schedule for the Raphael for the past hour. Jacob's unexpected arrival meant that Cameron would be taking some time off - something they had all agreed on long before the baby had even been born. With Peter back in the picture, it certainly made things a lot easier although Neal didn't want to overdo it and put his best friend on the roster full time, something he knew Elizabeth would be unlikely to approve of. She'd been a good sport about Peter returning to work part-time but having him sub for the kind of hours Cameron usually put in was far from what El had agreed to in the first place.

He pushed the glasses back on his nose and studied the chart, moving a couple of part-timers to cover some late-day shifts and sighing as he realized there were still some gaps left to fill.

Raffie lay under the kitchen table, snoring loudly and Neal smirked at the sound of the old timer, obviously pooped from the excitement of having had a houseful of guests for the past week.

Saying goodbye to Emily at the airport had been bittersweet for Sara although she'd been a little more upbeat than usual as she'd watched her sister leave. Perhaps it was the fact that she was still riding high from the party the previous day or maybe because she was thinking ahead to their own amazing holiday - either way, Sara hadn't shed a single tear on the drive back. Neal was used to picking up the pieces whenever Emily left to return to Chicago. It was reminiscent of the period when Hope lived in Pittsburgh and Sara would have a pity party every single time their daughter left home to return to university. This time though, Sara had hugged her sister, thanking her for being there to share in the last few days and, to Neal's relief, she'd waved her off without the usual drama associated with their parting of the ways.

Neal sighed, staring off into space as he thought back to the wonderful day they'd had, surrounded by all their friends - some coming from out of town to share in their special celebration. They would be looking back fondly on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary for years to come - a new beginning for the two of them.

There was a loud snort from under the table and Neal returned his attention to the schedule, glancing at some of the invoices he'd have to deal with before they took off on their magical trip. He realized just how much responsibility Cam had taken on since he'd made him manager. Neal never had to worry any more about things getting done in a timely fashion - whether it was paying bills or placing orders, seeing to special requests from customers or simply keeping the place looking new and exciting. Cameron Armstrong lived up to all his expectations and he'd inherited Neal's somewhat obsessive attention to detail in everything he did. Neal reflected on how he should really have another look at giving his son-in-law a proper raise now that he and Hope had little Jacob to think about.

Whereas a moment before he'd been sound asleep, Raffie sat up and grumbled softly, his usual MO when someone was preparing to enter the house. Sure enough, there was a timid knock on the front door and Neal got to his feet, followed by the lumbering dog, curious to see who was dropping in for a visit on a late Monday afternoon.

To say that Neal was surprised when he opened the door was an understatement; if pressed, the person on the other side of the door wouldn't even have registered on his top fifty guesses of potential visitors to their home.

'Rebecca!' he called out as he spied the young woman, standing there with a large gift basket in her arms.

'Hi Mr. Caffrey' the pretty young assistant said. 'I hope you don't mind me stopping by. I just wanted to drop off this gift… from me and Mr. Bosch.'

Neal's eyes grew at the sight of the basket, overflowing with what appeared to be fruit and chocolate and other sundry items he couldn't quite make out under the brightly coloured cellophane wrap.

'Come in, please' Neal stammered as he stepped aside to let her in. 'Let me just get Sara.'

Rebecca Hastings took a few steps inside the door, Raffie sniffing at her with his usual curiosity and she gave the dog a friendly pat on the head. 'Hello pooch' she murmured.

'Sara!' Neal called out towards the stairs. 'Can you come down here for a minute?'

WCWCWC

'Rebecca!' Sara said as she came down the stairs - pretty well in the same tone of voice her husband had used in greeting the woman he'd found standing on their doorstep.

'I'm sorry to come over unannounced' she began. 'It's just that… I know you're leaving on your trip in a couple of days and Mr. Bosch wanted to make sure you got this before you left.'

Neal took the large basket from her as Sara's eyes went from the gift to the young woman who, surprisingly, was looking quite relaxed, considering everything she'd been through in the past little while, including her mother's recent passing.

'Please, come in' Sara said, waving her in. 'Have a seat.'

'I can't stay… I'm just on my way home and… Mr. Bosch and I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding and…'

She pointed to the basket. 'There's some stuff in there you might want to use on your trip…'

'That's… that's very generous of you' Neal said with a surprised smile. 'We were sorry to hear about your mom.'

Rebecca nodded, her eyes drifting downwards, as if ill-at-ease.

'Well, I want to thank you for everything you did to try to help us… and for sending those flowers. That was very kind of you' she replied, wiping her eyes.

'It was the least we could do' Sara murmured softly.

'I miss her but… I'm relieved to know she's not suffering anymore' she explained as Sara reached out to touch the young woman's arm.

'And… in some strange way it brought me and… my father back together. He's been wonderful throughout all this. I've been staying with him and his family.'

Neal nodded. 'It's nice to know that something good has come from all this.'

Rebecca smiled, a sad smile but a smile nonetheless. 'Well, anyway, I hope you have a wonderful trip and… I guess we'll see you back at the office in a couple of weeks' she said, turning to look at Sara.

Sara nodded and watched as the young woman turned around and headed back out, leaving her and Neal staring at each other, mouths agape.

'Well, knock me over with a feather' Neal said.

WCWCWC

'Congratulations!' Rhett Wallace said as he stood to welcome Hope Ellis-Caffrey into his office. 'I didn't realize you were due so soon when we met a few weeks back.'

'To be honest, neither did I' Hope said with a hint of humour. 'This little guy decided to make an early entrance.'

Rhett glanced at Jacob's little face, angelic as he slept in his baby carrier. 'Very cute little guy. What's his name?'

'Jacob' Hope replied with a wistful smile. 'Do you have any children Mr. Wallace?'

A smile appeared on the man's face as he replied. 'I do… three of them but they're all in their twenties now.'

'I hear that happens… that they grow up' Hope joked. 'Although right now, it's hard to imagine.'

'Believe me, it happens in the blink of an eye' the man said kindly.

'So I hear' Hope quipped, suddenly reflective.

The man pointed to a chair, inviting Hope to take a seat and he walked around his desk and began searching through a heap of files on the corner of his desk. He pulled one thick file out of the pile and set it down in front of him, opening it and staring down at its contents.

'I have news on your book proposal' he said as Hope sat up straighter.

' _Good_ news as it happens' he continued. 'I've found a publisher who's willing to invest in publishing 2,000 copies of your book.'

'What?' Hope said, reacting to the news.

'That might sound like a lot but it's fairly standard for a first publication - especially for a children's book. Depending on its success, there could be a second or third edition.'

Hope stared ahead, shocked. 'You mean… it could be even more?'

Rhett Wallace shrugged and smiled at her as he nodded. 'Stranger things have happened. Hope, most of the appeal of a children's book is its illustrations and these are outstanding.'

'I… I don't know what to say' Hope said.

' _Thank you_ would be a good start' Rhett said with a mischievous smile.

'Of course' she said, coming to her senses. 'Thank you. I'm just… I'm shocked.'

'There's a large market for this kind of book and the _real_ consumer, the parent, is drawn to good, quality illustrations - which these definitely are.'

Suddenly, he was holding something in his hand and offering it to Hope.

'This is an advance for $5,000' he said as Hope stared ahead blankly. 'It's made out to the author but usually there is an arrangement between the author and the illustrator, based on a percentage.'

'You mean _I_ would get part of the advance?'

'Of course… and not just the advance but any future royalties. That's something you need to work out with the author… your dad. In some cases, the illustrations are purchased out right by the author and in others, there is a split for the advance and the future profits. You really should see a lawyer and work all this out.'

'A lawyer?' Hope stammered. 'But… this is my dad.'

'That doesn't matter, Hope. In this situation, you two will be in a business relationship, even if he _is_ your father. And there could be future books down the line so you'll want to work out the details now in order to avoid any future issues or litigation.'

'Wait a minute… my dad doesn't even know I'm doing this yet. Doesn't he have to agree to this… sign something?' Hope asked.

Things were moving along faster than she'd expected - although this was exactly what she'd been hoping for.

'He does, and that's the next step. Here's the contract with the publisher' he said, pulling out an official looking document. 'You and your dad need to agree to the terms and both sign this before it goes ahead. But the publisher was sufficiently impressed to put up an advance right off the bat. All you have to do is say yes and this all goes forward.'

Hope sat with her mouth wide open and Jacob let out a gentle sigh as she glanced down at him, squirming in his makeshift bed. He let out a soft lament, returning to his peaceful slumber and Hope returned her gaze to the man who sat across from her, brandishing a cheque in his hand.

'I… I really wasn't expecting all this' Hope said, reaching out for the cheque with a shaking hand. 'My folks are leaving for Europe tomorrow and I don't think this is the right time to be bringing this up with him.'

'You've got a month to decide and get back to me' Rhett explained as he pulled out the prototype Hope had provided him with, something she'd prepared with help from her aunt Emily.

'In the meantime, I'll give you back your prototype' he explained. 'And why don't we make an appointment for, say, in three weeks and see where you're at?'

'Sure… sure' she muttered. 'I'm sorry, I guess I'm still in shock.'

'That _is_ why you came to see me, isn't it' the man asked with a smirk. 'To get this book published.'

'Of course, of course. It's just… this is all new to me.'

'Well, get used to it. If this is any indication of what you and your dad can accomplish when you team up… well, let's just say, you have a bright future ahead of you' he said with an encouraging smile.

Hope nodded and stood, putting out her hand. 'Thank you so much for everything, Mr. Wallace. I really appreciate your time.'

'Believe me, it's my pleasure' he replied as he rose to see her out. 'Just talk to my assistant on the way out and she'll schedule a time to meet.'

Hope collected her things and began to move towards the door with Rhett Wallace following close behind and opening the door for her.

'So, tell me' he said, almost as an afterthought. 'How's your aunt doing?'

Hope smiled; the two of them had had coffee a few weeks back and her aunt Emily had seemed open to the idea of a second date.

'She's fine' Hope replied. 'She just left to return to Chicago yesterday but she'll be back sometime this summer.'

'Chicago, huh?' he said with a gleam in his eye. 'I'm actually headed there in a couple of weeks for a symposium. Maybe I'll look her up.'

'I'm sure she'd love to see you again' Hope replied with a coy smile.

She stepped out of the office, trying to calm her breathing. A book deal, an advance and a chance at love for her beloved aunt - overall, not too shabby for a Tuesday morning.

WCWCWC

'And here's the list of contacts you might need if something goes wrong with the furnace, the water heater, any issues with plumbing…' Neal prattled on as he handed his son a piece of paper.

'Dad, Dad' Liam interrupted. 'We've been through all this. We'll figure it out.'

'How?' Neal replied with a look of exasperation. 'How… how are you going to figure it out if I don't tell you where to look?'

'Because… we're smart, Dad' Liam replied snarkily. 'All you need to worry about is what museums you're going to visit and to make sure you and Mom come home with some great souvenirs for all of us.'

Neal gave him a put-on scowl; sometimes he hated how laid-back his son could be. He glanced over at Sara who was standing there in the airport lobby with her carry-on bag, waiting for him to stop lecturing.

'Fine. And we don't want any funny business' Neal added as Sara looked on with amusement. 'No parties or…'

'You mean like the one _you_ threw this past weekend?' Liam asked sarcastically.

'Don't get smart with me, young man!' Neal said, only half-serious. 'And please, keep up with the dishes, we don't want vermin in the house by the time we get back.'

'Neal!' Sara called out, tapping her foot impatiently. 'We've got to check in.'

He glanced at her and frowned. 'Fine, fine' he said as he brought his arms up to hug his son.

'I love you' he whispered as he hugged him.

Liam rolled his eyes at his mom as he hugged back. 'Love you too, Dad' he said with a chuckle. 'And stop worrying. Caitlin and I will make sure the house is still standing when you get back.'

'Bye honey' Sara said as she stepped in to take her son in her arms.

'Love you, Mom' he said. 'Have fun! And don't worry about a thing, okay? We've got everything under control.'

'I'll try to keep him from calling every day' Sara said as Neal gave her the evil eye.

'Now go' Neal said. '… before your parking meter expires.'

Liam could see right through him; what Neal was _really_ saying was 'go before I get too emotional at having to say goodbye.'

'Bye!' Liam called out as he turned to leave.

He took a few steps and glanced back, noticing his parents had moved to stand in the check-in line and he shook his head in exasperation. His dad's need to micro-manage wasn't new to him and yet… he wouldn't have him any other way.

WCWCWC

Neal and Sara sat in the departure lounge watching the status screen up above their heads for any last minute changes to their flight. Now that they'd gone through security, Sara was finally beginning to relax a little. She'd been nervous about having to travel with the new friend implanted in her chest and now that she'd passed through security without incident, she'd begun to focus on the wonderful trip they were about to embark on instead of thinking solely about her pacemaker.

The whole process had turned out to be quite painless, actually; after showing her medical device identification card, she'd been pulled off to the side and processed using a hand-held security scanner - just like the old days. Neal, on the other hand, had suffered the humiliation of triggering the sensor and had been manhandled as they checked him - only to find, to his total embarrassment - that his brand new pocket watch had been the culprit in setting off the alarm.

'Sorry about the watch…' Sara murmured as she spotted the lingering look of annoyance on his face.

'It's not your fault - I'm just so used to putting my wedding band and wristwatch in the tray, I completely forgot I had it on me' he said as he pulled it out, checking the time.

'Looks like we're right on schedule' he added, reaching over to take Sara's hand and squeezing it.

'I can't believe we're finally going to Paris together' she sighed. 'Whatever took us so long to take this trip?'

'Life… the kids… work. Take your pick' Neal replied with a gentle smile. 'But nothing's going to stand in our way now.'

'Not even dirty dishes?' Sara asked with a touch of derision. '…or vermin?'

Neal glared at her in response to her wise-ass comment.

'Really, honey' she continued. 'They're twenty and twenty-one years old. I'm sure they can figure things out. Besides, El and Peter are there and Hope and Cameron…'

'I know, I know' Neal admitted grudgingly. 'I just… well, I still think of them as… kids.'

Sara gave him an understanding smile and leaned in to kiss his cheek. 'That's one the of the reasons I love you so much. You're always worrying about the kids.'

Neal relaxed and smiled. 'Oh yeah?' he asked impishly. 'Well, wait until we get to Paris and I'll give you a few more reasons to love me.'

She pulled away and rolled her eyes at the innuendo; leave it to Neal to deflect using his charm.

The familiar banter was interrupted by the intercom announcing a flight departure: Westchester County to Hartsfield–Jackson and onto Charles de Gaulle.

The newlyweds smiled at each other and got to their feet.

'Paris nous attend, ma chérie' Neal said in perfect French - or at least it _sounded_ perfect to her.

TBC


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61**

 _The sidewalk café at which they'd agreed to meet was just two short city blocks from the Louvre. Neal sat, sipping a café au lait and watching the world go by through his Dolce and Gabbana aviator glasses. He glanced down at the newspaper in his hands, attempting to blend in with the crowd while keeping an eye on the street for Mozzie, who was due to make his appearance any minute now._

 _Working jobs with Moz certainly had its advantages; the man was painfully meticulous in his preparation, in part due to his over the top eccentricities and his paranoia. He also had superior intelligence to say nothing of perfect recall and what might be described as unparalleled ingenuity. But the older man was also exasperating at times, spinning conspiracy theories at the drop of a hat and he was insanely guarded when it came to his privacy. And Mozzie liked to work on his own terms which was often frustrating for a man like Neal Caffrey who liked things all nice and tidy and needed to have total control over his schemes. But the truth was, the two men always had each other's backs and in a world where disloyalty and double-crossing were sadly commonplace, Neal had always had complete faith in his partner._

 _The job they were working was pretty straightforward for the seasoned cons. Neal was going to act as front man, as usual, and for that reason, he'd refrained from being spotted within the walls of the venerable museum. After all, cameras were everywhere and if Neal was going to play his part with conviction, he needed to come in clean without any trace of having previously stepped into the place. Neal thought ahead to the target, a very specific Vermeer, for which Mozzie had already found a buyer back in the States, although the exchange would take place on European soil - there was no way they were going to worry about dragging the damn thing across the ocean._

 _His attention was suddenly drawn to some movement across the way - Mozzie coming towards him, his familiar gait easily recognizable from afar. He was looking pretty agitated and Neal noticed two men in dark suits merely steps behind him. That didn't look good, not one little bit; maybe Mozzie had been made while he was casing the joint. The men seemed to be gaining on him but Moz was oblivious to the tail he'd grown and kept walking resolutely towards Neal who stood to warn him, a look of alarm on his face._

 _'_ _Mozzie! Mozzie!' Neal called out, his voice frantic._

'Neal! Neal!' came an oddly familiar voice - much higher pitched than Mozzie's.

He startled, practically jumping out of his skin. 'What? What?'

'Honey, you were calling out Mozzie's name in your sleep' Sara said, hand on his arm in an effort to settle him down.

'What?' he repeated as he glanced around at the other passengers, some of which were looking in their direction.

An grey-haired woman sitting across the aisle from Sara glanced over to see what all the commotion was about and Sara gave her a barely polite 'mind your own business' look - a combination of smirk and glare as the woman returned to her book with a scoff.

'Neal, you were shouting out Mozzie's name' Sara murmured, returning to her dazed husband.

'I was? I was… have to warn him' he mumbled as the details of the dream came flooding back.

'Warn him about what? What were you dreaming about?' she whispered, leaning in so no one could hear their conversation.

'Just… oh my god. I guess going back to Paris brought back some old memories' Neal said, sitting up and glancing around suspiciously.

' _Actual_ memories? Or just a bad dream?' she asked.

'Sadly, an actual memory… once, years ago, I had to spring Mozzie after he got caught casing the Louvre' Neal murmured.

Sara knew more than she thought she'd ever _want_ to know about Neal's old life but there were still many 'adventures' with his ex-partner that he'd never shared with her. This one was a new one.

'So, what happened?' she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Neal looked over his shoulder, making sure no one was listening in. 'We were planning a job at the Louvre and I was going to front it so Mozzie went in to case the joint but for some reason, he was spotted and followed out by a couple of undercover security guys. I watched them drag him away for questioning.'

'Mozzie?' Sara said, eyes wide as she thought of their notoriously anxious friend. 'He must have been a nervous wreck.'

'That's an understatement! It took a lot of smooth talking but I finally managed to get him released and we hightailed it back to the States as fast as we could.'

Sara scoffed as she imagined their bespectacled friend, totally freaking out.

Neal looked around, finally getting his bearings. 'What time is it, anyway?'

'Paris time?' she asked as he nodded. 'Just after five… we're landing in a little over an hour.'

Neal could feel the remnants of his dream still tugging at the corners of his consciousness and he looked over to his right, noticing a man who looked rather… 'official' and Neal shivered and gave him a small smile, reminding himself he wasn't _actually_ planning a heist at the Louvre.

'You're on chapter 24?' he asked Sara as he glanced down at the paperback she'd picked up at the Atlanta airport. 'Haven't you slept at all?'

Sara shook her head and sighed. 'I guess I'm too excited.'

Her eyes were bloodshot and yet she smiled back at him, eager for this adventure they were embarking on. Neal pulled out his pocket watch with a wistful smile and proceeded to adjust it to Paris time.

'Are you telling me I've been asleep for over four hours?' he asked, still groggy.

'Yeah, I guess' she replied.

Neal was still feeling drowsy and he let himself slip down in his seat, dropping his head onto his wife's shoulder with a sigh, nuzzling up against her arm and burying his face as he took in the comforting, familiar scent of her.

'Mmmm' he moaned as Sara patted his hand lovingly.

'So, what do you want to do first? We'll be there just in time for breakfast' Neal said lazily, a glimmer of mischief in his eye. 'We can have real butter croissants and dunk them in sweet café au lait.'

'What about a nap?' she asked, fatigue finally gaining on her.

'A nap?' Neal retorted, incredulous. 'Babe, we're landing in Paris in an hour, don't you want to start exploring.'

Sara tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. 'You haven't been up all night with… Eliana and John.'

'Huh?' Neal grumbled.

Sara pointed to the romance novel sitting on her lap and he smirked. 'Give me that thing' he said, reaching out to take it from her.

She willingly gave it up and he sat up straight in his seat and, lifting the armrest which separated them, he brought his arm up around her back and pulled her in against his body, still warm with sleep.

'Come here' he coaxed, his voice rough.

Sara relaxed against his solid body and sighed loudly; maybe she _could_ sleep a little after all.

'Mmmmm' she cooed. 'Croissants, huh?'

WCWCWC

'Sara, honey wake up' came Neal's voice — from very far away.

'You're kidding…' Sara groaned, unamused.

She'd finally managed to fall asleep, curled up against his warm, sturdy body and she had no interest in moving, even an inch - or opening her eyes, for that matter.

'Noooo' she whimpered.

'Yes!' Neal said with a gentle poke. 'Réveille-toi! We're here!'

'Réveille…' she repeated, thinking back to her limited French vocabulary. 'Work?'

'No honey, that's 'travail' Neal reminded her as she sat up and looked around the cabin, bleary eyed.

'Oh' she said, only half listening.

'Look!' Neal said, eyes alight with excitement. He pointed out the window at the tarmac. 'See?'

They were on terra firma and she could see the airport off in the distance, the city of lights as a backdrop. Despite the fatigue, she smiled, leaning in to place a kiss on Neal's lips.

'We're here' she repeated dreamily as he beamed at her.

WCWCWC

The taxi ride to their hotel afforded Neal and Sara a closeup glimpse of the City of lights. Paris was waking up to a new day; the street lights were still on, lighting the way to their hotel. Sara had entrusted Neal with finding a place for them to stay and he'd settled on a four star hotel in the first arrondissement, seconds away from the gorgeous Jardin des Tuileries and a ten minute walk from the Louvre — where he hoped to be spending a significant amount of time.

This trip had been a long time coming; something Neal had been wanting to share with his wife for many years. He'd been to Paris several times in his youth as he crisscrossed the globe on a search for new adventures - always looking for thrills and excitement with total disregard for the consequences. The last time he'd been to Paris, however, was with Peter as he assisted the Bureau with the capture of a bond forger who'd slipped out of the country. But that had been over ten years earlier and it had been a short trip, there and back in three days.

Now, Neal was looking forward to playing the role of tourist and enjoying everything this amazing city had to offer - without having to look over his shoulder. Of course, sharing it all with Sara at this point in their lives was icing on the cake - they'd paid their dues and now, it was time to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

For her part, Sara had attended an international conference in Paris six years earlier but Neal had stayed home with the kids, considering the school of art had recently opened; besides, playing tourist on his own while Sara attended meetings didn't appeal to him much.

Finally, here they were, together, visiting a city they both loved and had dreamed of sharing with each other for as long as they'd been married and they were going to take advantage of every single minute of their time there.

'Good job, Caffrey!' Sara exclaimed as she got her first glimpse of the Mayfair Hotel.

It was perfectly located for their needs and it had an old world flair - exactly what she grown to expect from her classy husband.

They stepped into the quiet lobby, a bellhop immediately appearing to take their bags.

'Bienvenue au Mayfair' the young man said as Neal and Sara made their way to the reception desk.

'Bonjour, good morning' the pretty young woman said with a thick French accent.

'Bonjour' Neal replied with his usual charming smile. 'Réservation pour Caffrey.'

'Monsieur et madame Caffrey, bienvenue à Paris' the woman said as she brought their reservation up on her screen.

'Neuf nuits, chambre de luxe, côté ouest avec douche et bain' she prattled off as she read from her computer.

Neal nodded in agreement as Sara did her best to try to follow the conversation.

They finished checking in and followed the bellhop to the elevator and up to the fifth floor - the top floor of the elegant, understated hotel. Sara usually stayed in more modern-type lodgings when she travelled for Sterling Bosch but she loved the old world, classic hotels and Neal had been right on the money with his choice, perfectly located in the middle of the best restaurants, art galleries and a stone's throw away from the Louvre.

Their room was, for lack of a better word, perfectly quaint and to Neal's delight, the first thing Sara did upon entering the suite was to throw her arms up in the air and twirl around like a twelve-year-old as she let out an exuberant shriek.

The second thing she did, was to flop down on the king-size bed and promptly go to sleep.

WCWCWC

The sound of running water roused Sara Ellis from her deep slumber. The soothing sound permeated her dream as she imagined herself under a tropical waterfall, the sun shining down brightly on her warm, relaxed body. She turned in the bed, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings which, although luxurious, were anything _but_ tropical. She stretched out on the comfy bed, running her hand languidly over the pillow next to hers where the indent of Neal's head was still visible as reality set in - they were in Paris.

Finally.

The laptop had been left open on the bed and she reached over lazily and skimmed the mouse pad, activating the screen and grinning as the Moulin Rouge appeared; it seemed her husband had been busy booking some fun outings for the two of them.

The sound of the shower continued, mingling with Neal's voice as he sang softly - a tune she recognized from somewhere but couldn't for the life of her identify. She sat up on the edge of the bed and smiled mischievously - at first glance, that walk-in shower had appeared big enough for two and she had a sudden, overwhelming urge to join her husband for a little bit of misbehaving before they headed out for the day.

She made quick work of taking off her clothes, leaving her bra and undies on and she quietly tiptoed into the bathroom so as not to interrupt her husband's little performance - which, truth be told, she was quite enjoying.

' _Quand il me prend dans ses bras, qu'il me parle tout bas, je vois la vie en rose_ ' he crooned as Sara examined him through the clear glass shower door, unbeknownst to him.

Just as she'd studied him a few nights earlier in their hotel room in Manhattan, her eyes were drawn to his taut muscles as he finished soaping up, his strong back, his long muscular legs, his pert ass cheeks.

The lingering drowsiness in her sluggish body seemed to be fertile ground for arousal and Sara absent mindedly ran her hand down the side of her body, feeling a familiar tingle as she stood there in her undies, letting her eyes linger up and down her husband's hot, sexy body.

'I'll just be a minute' he called out as he sensed her presence and busied himself with rinsing off.

She smiled back wickedly and reached around to unclasp her bra, letting it fall at her feet and she tugged at her panties, stepping out of them and kicking them aside. Neal turned to find her standing there, sliding the shower door open with a mischievous look in her eyes.

'What are you up to?' he chuckled as she stepped in behind him, immediately crowding his space.

She didn't say a word, just got in nice and close, joining him under the spray and letting the water begin to wash over her. Neal felt her pert breasts brush up against his back, her nipples hard from having just come in from the cold - a startling, albeit wonderful sensation.

'Couldn't wait until I was done, huh Repo?' he called out over his shoulder, still not one hundred percent sure of her intentions - which, as it turned out, were about to become crystal clear.

Sara's arms reached around his body as she began stroking his chest, her fingers caressing the taut muscles and she felt, rather than heard, the vibration of his moan echoing through her body, pressed up against his. She let one hand linger down his chest, exploring as she went while the other tugged roughly at his nipple. This time she felt the unmistakeable quiver of a deep, guttural groan and felt his butt cheeks tightening against her in response to her little manoeuvre.

'So is this a… social call or are you here to actually… get clean' he asked breathlessly as he turned around the confined space in order to face her.

'Can't it be both?' she replied playfully, her hands reaching down to cup his butt cheeks where she lingered for a moment, squeezing gently. He thrust his hips forward ever so slightly, just enough to let her know he was on board and he let his hands linger down her body, settling onto her hips in an effort to keep her there, pressed up against him so deliciously.

She stared at him, water streaming down her face, eyelashes clumping against the beads of water, giving him a dismissive smile — tease that she was — and she reached over for the bottle of shampoo.

Neal's hand came up to take it from her and he squirted some into the palm his hand, immediately returning one of his hands to her hip to keep her from slipping out of his grasp - not that she could go very far in the cramped space. He leaned back and started massaging the fragrant shampoo into her scalp as she moaned in appreciation. She couldn't remember the last time Neal had washed her hair and now she was wondering why she didn't ask him to do it every single day of her life.

His sensuous touch elicited a small sigh from her parted lips, muffled by the sound of the shower but the look of sheer lust on her face was unmistakeable and Neal leaned in closer to her ear, returning to the song he'd been humming, to Sara's delight.

'Mmmm' she murmured. 'I should get you to wash my hair and sing to me every day.'

She let her head fall back, feeling the soap run down her neck and her body as it circled the drain and disappeared. Neal's hands returned to her body, this time with a soapy sponge, running it down her back, her arms, her buttocks, the wonderful scent of lavender filling the air. She stood, her legs growing unsteady as Neal managed - with some difficulty - to crouch down in front of her, reaching around to wash the back of her legs, carefully lifting one foot, then the other.

Sara felt her back hit the shower wall and she let herself relax as Neal's hands continued to work their incredible magic. He moved to wash the front of her legs and she felt his lips pressing against the inside of her thighs as she thrust her pelvis forward, searching for more direct contact. She felt him chuckle against her tingling skin and he stood, his hands continuing to move against her thighs, her hips and between her legs as he washed every nook and crevice. To her chagrin, he momentarily abandoned his exploration but then his hands moved up her body, caressing her breasts first with the sponge, then with his mouth as he captured the water rolling off her body in small droplets. She tasted so good, her skin soft and supple, the smell of the body wash filling his nostrils and he cradled her hips, letting his mouth roam over her heaving chest, tongue lapping, teeth nipping, lips sucking.

As pleasant as all this was, he could see that their range of motion was somewhat limited in such a restricted space but damn, it felt good and he was in no hurry to end the make out session prematurely.

Sara bit her lip and lifted one of her legs, resting it up against Neal's hip and thrusting forward in an attempt to create some friction, an invitation for him to push her further into the wall.

Attempting to have vigorous sex in a slick, slippery four foot square space was a recipe for disaster. There were too many moving parts and with the wet, soapy floor and the extremely high probability of getting carried away, anything could go wrong… at any rate, it seemed ridiculous to Neal to even attempt such a feat when they had a comfortable king size bed just a few feet away.

'We are _not_ doing this in the shower' Neal groaned, his lips moving to nip playfully at her earlobe.

She giggled in response to the sensation, her arms moving up to settle around his neck and her hands running through his sopping wet hair as she held him there.

'We can _start_ here' she murmured playfully in his ear, letting her hand drop between their bodies so she could reach down and caress him.

He felt her hand on him and pulled away to look at her as his breath quivered. Beads of water ran down her face, her eyes were bright with mischief and she bit her lower lip again as Neal grunted. His previous concern about safety on slippery surfaces seemed to fade as it began to compete with the amazing sensation of her hand on him, firm and forceful.

His eyes closed in ecstasy in response to her insistent touch. 'You're crazy, you know that?' he whimpered, gasping for breath. 'We're not thirty years old any more.'

'What does wanting to have sex with my gorgeous husband have to do with being thirty years old?' she replied, nipping at his lower lip with little provocative bites, her hand still coaxing him along.

The hot water washed over them, enveloping them both in its warmth, and Sara watched with fascination as beads of water exploded off Neal's back and chest. His long wet lashes fluttered, his eyes bluer than blue as he stared back at her, his breathing growing more laboured as she continued caressing him with unrestrained eagerness.

'Fuck…' he groaned breathlessly, pushing her impatiently up against the wall as he kissed her hard, forcing his tongue into her mouth, their limbs becoming increasingly tangled.

They kissed voraciously, devouring each other's mouths, their teeth and lips and tongues clashing, their breathing ragged, their hands groping for any body part within reach, the water pelting their fully aroused bodies.

Suddenly, Neal pulled away, slipping out of her grasp and creating some space between them — and immediately regretting the loss of sensation.

'Stop…' he lamented, half heartedly, the sound of their moans competing with the noise from the shower as it continued to beat down on them mercilessly.

He seemed to gather his wits and took a steadying breath, staring lustfully at his beautiful wife as water shone off her glistening skin, her chest heaving, her eyes half lidded with desire, her lips red and kiss swollen.

'Stop…' he repeated breathlessly.

He teetered for a moment, tempted to continue pounding that mouth of hers, that beautiful, delicious mouth that hung open as her breathing grew ever more erratic. He shook his head, steadied his breathing and reached around her, resolutely turning off the water in a decisive motion.

Without the sound of the water pounding their bodies, their gasping could be heard echoing in the small space and Neal reached out, grabbing a towel and practically throwing it at her.

'Hurry up' he growled with urgency as he stepped out of the shower and pulled her along with him towards the bedroom. 'I'm not done with you yet.'

WCWCWC

'You were right' Sara said as she dunked her croissant in the luxurious café au lait and popped it in her mouth. 'This tastes amazing.'

Neal grinned back as he followed suit.

'There's just one problem' she continued, her mouth full. 'Are you still going to want me when I've gained fifty pounds.'

'Never mind, you can stand to put on a few pounds' Neal teased, glancing down at the Paris arts guide they'd found in their gift basket from Sara's boss. 'Anyway, I'm pretty sure you burned about three croissants worth of calories back there at the hotel.'

Sara grinned in response; he was right. She'd been glowing ever since their romantic romp in the sheets and she was feeling energized despite the lack of sleep.

'So, after our walk through the gardens, do you want to head over to that gallery I was telling you about? There's this artist, Eloise Chartier, that I want to check out.'

'I am totally in your hands, Caffrey' Sara said with stars in her eyes.

Neal laughed. 'Babe, you are _so_ easy to please.'

'I'm easy to please! May I remind you that you're the one who cried uncle, first' Sara reminded him with a most annoying tone of voice.

'Only because you have a brand new ticker' he grinned. 'Show off!'

'Est-ce qu'il y aura autre chose, monsieur?' the server asked as he stepped up to their tiny table.

'Non, merci. J'ai tout dont j'ai besoin' Neal replied with a naughty grin.

TBC

A/N For the benefit of my non-French speaking readers (especially those from Memphis, Tennessee), here is some translation for all that pesky French dialogue.

 _'_ _Monsieur et madame Caffrey, bienvenue à Paris.'_ \- 'Mr. and Mrs. Caffrey, welcome to Paris.'

 _'_ _Neuf nuits, chambre de luxe, côté ouest avec douche et bain.'_ \- 'Nine nights, deluxe suite, facing west with shower and bath.'

 _'_ _Est-ce qu'il y aura autre chose?'_ \- 'Can I get you anything else?'

 _'_ _Non, merci. J'ai tout dont j'ai besoin.'_ \- 'No thanks. I've got everything I need.'

The song Neal is singing in the shower is the iconic 'La vie en rose' a classic tune by Edith Piaf. Check my twitter page to hear the song.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62**

Hope felt her body start to relax as she soaked in the bubble bath Cam had run for her in the claw foot tub of their cramped bathroom. With a newborn in the house, there wasn't a whole lot of time for relaxing and any respite they managed to get came in brief spurts of two to three hours between feedings - no more lounging around in bed with her hubby, luxuriating in each other's company for hours on end.

Oh, how their priorities had changed in one short week.

She heard some gentle cooing coming from the bedroom where father and son were spending some quality time together, followed by Cam's gentle voice as he sang to his son - a very off-key rendition of 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star', at least that's what it sounded like as far as she could tell. Poor kid! Saddled with two tone-deaf parents; luckily, his grandpa could carry a tune and would be more than happy to pick up the slack.

Cam hit a particularly troublesome note and she giggled, letting her eyes close and resting her head back against the edge of the tub. He was a natural and, except for the first few hours after Jake's birth where he'd seemed somewhat anxious and uncertain about how to safely handle such a tiny baby, he was growing rather seamlessly into his role as a father. He'd dreamt of becoming a dad for a long time, eager for him and Hope to tie the knot so they could finally start their family. Coming from a large family had inspired him to want a little family unit of his own and every time the gentle giant settled with the tiny infant in his arms, Hope could see the pure joy written on his face; his cherished dream had come true.

But life had thrown them a giant curve ball and they had been forced to take a rather painful detour on their journey to parenthood as Hope recovered from her injuries following that horrific car accident. For a while there, it was unclear if they would ever get there; the recovery had been painfully slow and had involved years of therapy, multiple surgeries and some blind faith that they would find a way to survive the storm.

Hope thought ahead to the next few weeks. Cam would be going back to work and she was feeling a little apprehensive about finding herself alone to deal with little Jacob. Since his arrival, they'd been taking turns caring for him so they could get some sleep - although as a nursing mom, Hope didn't get much of a break. If the baby fussed, though, Cameron was always there to change his diaper, hold him, care for him and most of all rock him back to sleep, something the baby already seemed to enjoy.

Hope had absolutely fallen in love with her little boy: she was in awe of the way his little lips quivered when he searched her out, of his increasingly steady gaze as he looked into her eyes when she whispered to him, of his perfect, velvety skin so pink and new and of the sweet sound of cooing when he finished nursing. But with Cameron back at work, she would be left on her own to deal with diaper changes, feedings and all things Jacob, so different from what had occupied her time just a few days before.

Truth was, she truly enjoyed working at the gallery, meeting people, teaching classes, ferreting out new and exciting artists and most of all contributing to the collection of art on the second floor of the Raphael. She'd been a mere teenager when her dad had finally fulfilled his life-long dream of opening his own gallery and she'd inherited his enthusiasm and pride for their little shop on West 27th. The fact that Neal and his daughter used the gallery as a vehicle for exposing their own creations was icing on the cake. What other Manhattan gallery would have given a budding artist like herself such a unique opportunity?

Of course, she'd risen to the challenge, producing beautiful artwork and her dad had always insisted that he would never have suggested using the Raphael to show off her work if he didn't think she was among the best of the new generation of artists on the East coast. The gallery's bottom line had bore out Neal's belief in her talent and, to this day, Hope remained one of the biggest selling artists at the Raphael, selling pieces as fast as they were put up for display.

Now, with the baby's arrival, it was anybody's guess when she'd have time to pick up a paintbrush again - although Cam had already booked off every Wednesday afternoon to be home so she could have some undisturbed time at the easel. Despite his undying support and encouragement, it had taken almost three years following her accident to start painting again and more importantly, to find joy in expressing herself on canvas. There had been multiple surgeries, the painful realization that she would likely never be returning to Carnegie Mellon and a lot of questions about what the future held for her and Cameron. But he'd been there, every step of the way, keeping her from falling prey to discouragement and depression.

She thought of her parents' wedding renewal vows and how the lead up to their special day had forced them to reflect on some of the difficult times they'd faced over the years. Twenty-five years was a long time and it represented a lot of baggage, both good times and bad. In some ways, she and Cam had been forced to confront one of the most difficult challenges a couple could possibly face and they'd faced it _before_ they'd even gotten married. Some couples lived their whole married lives without encountering the kind of hardship they'd endured as Hope had recovered from her brain injury, unsure about what the future held. Cam's steadfast commitment told her everything she would ever need to know about the man: he was there for the long run, committed to supporting her through thick and thin and now, Hope knew, without a doubt, that she would always be there for him as well.

She heard a small whimper and leaned in to listen as Cam spoke to the baby, reassuring him that everything was all right.

And it really was… all right.

WCWCWC

'So, what do you think?' Caitlin asked as she and Will sat in the car, facing each other.

'I love it. You?' Will replied, his eyes dancing with excitement.

The apartment they'd just visited in a quiet neighbourhood of New Rochelle was perfect in every way but one — neither of them could afford it. Not unless they pooled their resources, that is. Caitlin had already had this place on her radar and following Will's admission that he was thinking of getting a place, he'd tagged along to visit - on a whim.

In all fairness, they hadn't fully discussed the implications of sharing a place. Hell, they hadn't discussed it at all. If they had, they would have agreed it was much too early in their relationship to be talking about moving in together. And yet, circumstances seemed to have conspired to bring them to this discussion prematurely.

The one bedroom apartment was located in an older triplex, not luxurious by any means but it had laundry facilities, parking and it was three minutes from the bus that could take Caitlin to work and Will to school as well as being twenty minutes away from the Caffrey home in White Plains.

'It's got everything I've been looking for' Caitlin admitted. 'But… I can't afford it on my own.'

' _We_ could afford it, though' Will said, saying out loud what they'd both been thinking.

'I don't know Will…' she replied with a loud sigh. 'It's… things have been going so well between us…I really don't want to ruin it.'

'How would this ruin it?' he asked. 'We're already practically living together as it is.'

She gave him a look of disbelief. 'Come on. You can't compare you bunking in with the Caffreys for a few days to us living together in a small apartment for the foreseeable future. If we move too fast…'

'All right, all right' he interrupted, seeing the look of dread on her face. 'I'll admit we probably wouldn't have chosen to do this so soon in our relationship but I need a place to live and you've been thinking about getting a place and…'

'I'm just not sure that's a good enough basis to make such an important decision' Caitlin said, cutting him off.

Will let out a laboured breath. 'Why don't we just think of it as… being roommates? People do it all the time.'

'Not when they're romantically involved' she countered, looking up at the building with a loud sigh.

'Look, let's go for coffee and we can talk it through' he suggested as he turned to look at her.

They'd been practically inseparable since Neal and Sara had left on their trip, sharing a bed at night, having meals together… hell, they were practically living together as it was. Except, that this was a temporary arrangement, meant to help Will through a particularly difficult time. Signing a lease for a year and committing to having to live together in the same place brought things to a whole other level, one Caitlin wasn't sure she was ready for.

What if things soured for either one of them? After all, they were still getting to know each other. What if she found out he hated Motown or what if he found out she'd been faking her interest in basketball - she couldn't keep up _that_ charade indefinitely. Hanging out together was fun and everything was still new; the sex was great and they shared a quirky sense of humour but was that enough to make such a long term commitment?

Will could feel the tension growing between them and he reached out to touch Caitlin's hand; the last thing he wanted to do was to jeopardize their budding romance.

'Hey, Blondie!' he called out as she glanced over in his direction and smiled sadly. 'Don't worry. We'll figure it out.'

WCWCWC

It was Peter's first week working full time at the Raphael and he couldn't be happier. His energy level was through the roof and that fact hadn't escaped Elizabeth who was trying to lay low after several weeks of craziness with all the wedding preparations. He was no spring chicken but she'd noticed how he'd been parading around the house like a proud peacock; she'd even been forced to restrain his enthusiasm in the bedroom after a couple of nights of unusually intense antics between the sheets.

This was prime time for the galleries in the Chelsea district as tourists came to town and New Yorkers spent the early weeks of summer rediscovering what was happening in their city. The place was really hopping and with Cam away on parental leave, Peter had called out all the troops to cover shifts, even asking Caitlin, Liam and Cody to help out and take a couple of evening shifts after their regular day jobs. But, despite the chaos, Peter seemed to be thriving as he filled orders, worked the books and saw to customers' needs.

On Friday morning, he was enjoying a brief lull in activity when some very special visitors appeared at the door of the gallery, to his absolute delight.

'Hey, what are you guys doing here?' he called out as he stepped out from behind the counter.

'We just got in the car and it drove itself here' Cameron replied, baby Jacob strapped to his chest in one of those fancy schmancy baby carriers.

'Hey!' Peter said in greeting as he rushed over to hug his goddaughter. 'You look great!'

'I'm feeling great. We've been stuck in the apartment for most of the week so we thought we'd come over and show Jakey where Mommy and Daddy work.'

'Hello baby Jacob' Peter cooed, leaning in to place a kiss on the sleeping infant's head.

'Come on in, it's been quiet this morning' he added, pulling up a chair for Hope to sit on. 'How's it going?'

'Great!' Cameron enthused. 'I almost hate to think about having to come back to work.'

Peter gave him a knowing smile; the two of them looked blissfully happy and relaxed.

'You know, I can probably fill in some gaps if you want to take some more time off' Peter offered.

'No, no. You've done so much already. We're looking forward to getting back to normal, aren't we, Hope?' he said, glancing at his wife.

'Yeah… yeah. We can't cocoon forever' she replied good-naturedly. 'Jacob and I are starting a Mom and me class next week and I'm going to try to find some time to do some painting.'

'So…' Peter said, leaning in. 'Have you heard from your folks?'

'Are you kidding?' Hope replied with a giggle. 'Dad is insisting on three new pictures of the baby every single day, says he's afraid he's missing out.'

'Are they having fun?' Peter asked. Except for a few photographs Neal had posted on Instagram, he hadn't been in direct contact with his best friend since they'd left.

'He's texted a few times but they must be pretty busy because I haven't heard anything since yesterday afternoon' she replied.

As if on cue, the sound of her phone was heard, indicating an incoming text and Hope reached into her handbag, pulling it out and laughing as she read.

'It's Dad' she said to the two men. 'He says they spent the afternoon at the Louvre and he's getting ready to take Mom out to dinner to… pay off a bet?' she added with a quizzical look.

Cameron and Peter shared a knowing look. 'Your dad bet your mom that he'd get the most answers right during that little quiz we had for the bachelor party.'

Hope nodded; that sounded like something her dad would do. 'Figures. Oh, and he's attached a picture' she added, lifting her phone so Cam and Peter could have a look.

There sat Neal and Sara, side by side at some little café, holding hands and beaming like the newlyweds that they were.

'They sure look happy' Cam commented as Peter nodded.

'Oh…' Hope said as she kept reading. 'Wait for it… here it is, he wants a picture!'

She pointed the phone towards her husband and stepped back to get a shot of father and son in the same frame. Cam turned slightly to make sure the baby was easily visible and smiled back at the camera.

'Hi Grandpa, hi Grandma' he called out as he waved.

Peter watched, a huge smile on his face. 'You know, they've been talking about taking this trip for an awfully long time' he reminded the new parents. 'I'm really happy for them.'

'Well, they deserve it' Hope agreed. 'It seemed that whenever they got close to going, something always came up.'

'So…' Cameron said, moving towards the small desk in the corner that was usually covered in a mountain of paperwork.

Everything looked unusually tidy and organized, files in their place, documents in nice, tidy piles.

'I see you've been busy cleaning up my mess' Cam continued. 'Keep this up, I'm going to lose my job.'

Peter chuckled. 'No danger of that' he reassured the younger man.

'You know what, though?' he whispered as he leaned in closer to Cam. 'I haven't had a minute to go to the bathroom, do you think you could…'

Hope laughed. 'Go, Uncle Peter. We've got you covered… it's not like we don't know what we're doing here.'

Peter made a beeline for the small washroom at the back of the gallery as Hope began poking around, noticing some new stuff that hadn't been there a couple of weeks before.

'Sweetie, look. The Javier Huertas pieces came in' she declared, pointing to two new paintings.

Cameron looked up from some invoices he was checking out as Jake let out a small sigh. 'Yeah, they came in early last week before… well, before this little guy decided to make his appearance' he said, bringing his lips to rest on his little boy's head.

The phone still in Hope's hand chirped and she glanced down, a smile appearing on her face.

 _'_ _Tell him to stop growing until we get back'_ Neal had written followed by a flurry of heart emojis.

WCWCWC

Dinner at Épicure turned out to be an all evening affair; a four course meal that lingered on and on with amazing food and great conversation. The only thing missing was a few glasses of fine wine to accompany the five-star meal and it was in moments like this that Neal really missed being able to enjoy a good vintage. He'd insisted Sara order a glass with her main course and she'd finally succumbed, ordering a nice deep Merlot to accompany her veal dish. She was two sips in when she picked up on the longing look in Neal's eyes and when the waiter returned with the offer of a refill, she steadfastly refused to order a second glass, to Neal's dismay. He hated being the reason she held back on having something she so enjoyed and most of the time, he was content to watch her sip her wine and live vicariously through her.

But in this setting, with the amazing food and the incredible vintages available, it was difficult to resist and not feel like he was missing out. He reminded himself of all he'd gained by cutting alcohol from his life for good: his wife, his kids, his livelihood, his sanity.

But still… he had to admit that the taste of a nice, rich red with a great meal was something he would always miss.

'Have you thought again about what Jim suggested?' Sara asked, opening up the hot button topic. 'Having a glass of wine with dinner and seeing how you feel?'

He looked away and shook his head. 'I don't know… I'm still so scared of losing control.'

'But I'm here with you. I could be your safety net' she reminded him with a loving smile.

Neal looked into his wife's eyes. 'I don't know… I couldn't bear it if I didn't…. handle it well.'

Sara reached out and squeezed his hand in understanding. 'Whatever you think is best but you might find that without all the stress you were feeling back then, you could manage with a glass of wine every once in a while with a good meal.'

'It's… just not worth the risk' he replied, putting on what she knew to be an evasive smile. 'Maybe… when we get back home. You know, in case things go sideways and I need to have a talk with Jim.'

Sara nodded; it was his decision to make and she was behind him whatever he decided. She could see the topic had grown uncomfortable for him and she leaned back in her chair, electing to change the subject.

'Looks like we're not going to make it to the gallery tonight after all' she commented as she reached across the table and nabbed a small bite of Neal's luscious baba au rum and hummed in appreciation.

'We can go tomorrow' Neal replied as he reached out to take her hand, his fingers lingering on her family ring. 'This is much too nice to rush.'

He fidgeted in his chair, not for the first time and Sara couldn't help but comment.

'What's wrong, honey? Are you not feeling well?'

'I'm fine' he replied dismissively.

'Neal…' Sara said, squeezing his hand. 'You've been squirming in your seat for the past hour.'

'It's just… I think I might have re-injured myself with all that walking we did today' he admitted.

Ever since her surgery, Sara's energy level was through the roof and her stamina was reminiscent of how she'd been in her thirties. It was only now that she'd gone back to being her 'old' self that Neal noticed that, prior to getting her pacemaker, she'd been going downhill for quite some time. He wondered how he hadn't seen the signs earlier but the whole thing had been so gradual and he'd simply chalked it up to the two of them getting older.

He, on the other hand, had been dragging his butt around all day. They'd been walking practically non-stop since they'd arrived three days earlier - to the nearby garden for daily walks, through countless museum exhibitions and galleries, to and from cafés and restaurants. To top it off, they'd had hot, over the top sex for three nights running, a testament to being on holidays, worry-free and in a very romantic setting with nothing to do but enjoy each other's company.

All told, the higher than normal level of activity seemed to be taking its toll on him and the constant strain on his groin had reignited his little injury from the previous week - something he'd been too proud to admit to.

'Maybe, we could get a cab back to the hotel' he murmured, looking a little worse for wear. '…instead of walking.'

'Sure' Sara replied with a worried look. 'I'll see if they can send up some ice. That seemed to help before.'

He nodded, somewhat embarrassed. As much as living life large was fun and exciting, age and circumstances seemed to have conspired to set some unexpected and unwanted restrictions on Neal Caffrey, man of the world.

TBC


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter 63**

Spending even a minute of a long awaited holiday holed up in your hotel room seemed like a travesty. And yet, on their very first weekend in Paris, Neal and Sara were forced to settle in while he struggled with the insistent pain in his groin. He was royally pissed off about the whole thing but Sara was doing her best to keep his spirits up and put a good face on the unfortunate situation. All she wanted was for Neal to feel better so he could fully enjoy their holiday and if that meant a day or two of down time, so be it.

So, first thing Saturday morning, Sara kissed her disgruntled husband goodbye and headed out to the small café they'd adopted a few blocks from the hotel on a mission to pick up some almond croissants and delicious café au lait for them to enjoy in the privacy of their room. It was a beautiful summer morning, not a cloud in the sky and she took her time, enjoying the warm breeze as she checked out the many shops and boutiques along the way.

She was feeling strong and energized, finally reaping the benefits of having her new pacemaker. As much as she'd hated the thought of having such a contraption at her relatively young age, she had to admit it had made a world of difference. Her level of stamina was reminiscent of how she'd felt in her thirties and forties and she strolled along with a bounce in her step, glancing around at the businesses on either side of the cobblestone street. When she rounded the corner onto rue Gambon, one of the stores caught her eye and she slipped in on a whim to see what she could find.

'Bonjour madame, comment puis-je vous aider ce matin?' the young man behind the desk asked as she stepped into the shop and glanced around.

Sara had a moment of panic as she realized she was on her own to try to communicate without her perfectly multilingual husband by her side.

'Je peux… regarder?' she asked tentatively, pointing around the little boutique.

'Bien sûr, madame. Vous êtes Américaine?' the man asked, picking up on her heavy accent.

'Oui, oui' Sara replied with a firm nod. 'I'm American.'

'Ahh' the man said. 'You are here for holiday?'

'Yes, my husband and I are staying around the corner at the Mayfair' she replied, pointing in the general direction of the hotel.

'You are welcome to look around' he said with his thick, yet charming, French accent. 'You say I can help you.'

Sara smiled at the man and began exploring; this looked like just to think to bring Neal out of his funk.

WCWCWC

Neal hobbled out of the bathroom, cursing under his breath. He couldn't believe his body was betraying him at such an inopportune time. There were galleries to visit, shows to go to, places to see. As a matter of fact, he'd planned on surprising Sara with tickets to the Folies Bergère for later that night and he was determined not to miss the show. Not only had he been looking forward to the spectacular extravaganza, he had forked over three hundred American bucks for those tickets and he was damned if they were going to miss out.

He grabbed the bag of ice he'd set aside and brought it to rest on the inside of his thigh, sighing in relief as he settled into the cozy armchair by the window. If anything, the pain was even more intense than it had been on the night of his bachelor party and he chastised himself for pushing so hard the last couple of days as he attempted to keep up with his energetic wife.

If there was one thing Neal Caffrey absolutely hated, it was the fact that he was getting older. He'd always been on the vain side, taking advantage of his charm and good looks every chance he got; his rugged good looks were something he'd always been able to count on whenever he got himself into delicate situations and he was in no hurry to lose that rare advantage.

But worse than the fact that his hair and beard were peppered with grey and that his eyes crinkled when he smiled was the fact that his body just didn't perform like it used to. Sure, he hit the gym as often as he could and he still took a jog around the neighbourhood three mornings a week but everything seemed to be just a little harder, a little slower, a little more painful than it used to be and that infuriated the ex-conman.

He thought of the enthusiastic lovemaking session they'd engaged in once they'd returned from dinner the night before. He'd been feeling discomfort in his groin all through the meal and once they'd gotten back, Sara had suggested they just cuddle and get some sleep but his stupid pride had gotten in the way. He was definitely his own worst enemy, apparently on some misguided mission to prove to himself and his wife that he was still a hot stud - which, apparently he was _not_.

Their lives back home were busy and they were lucky if they got around to being intimate once a week or so but since they'd arrived in Paris, romance and adventure were everywhere and now that Sara had gotten over her anxiety about having sex with her new pacemaker, she'd been eager to experiment like never before. And Neal… well, as always, Neal hated to disappoint.

He squirmed on the armchair, feeling the uncomfortable tug in his crotch and silently cursed himself for being so reckless. He heard the key in the lock and sat up straight, putting on his game face.

WCWCWC

The bus terminal was bustling as it always was on summer weekends and Liam mumbled under his breath as he searched up and down the rows of cars for an available parking spot.

'I told you we were going to be late' he grumbled to his boyfriend who sat next to him, looking equally miffed.

'Relax, babe. The bus doesn't get here for another ten minutes' Cody barked back.

Liam scoffed; he was excited about his college roommate coming to town and he was pissed off at Cody for having taken his sweet time getting ready to leave the house. Like Caitlin and Will, the two men had been practically inseparable since Neal and Sara left on their trip. For all intents and purposes, Cody had all but moved into the Caffrey house and he and Liam were spending every waking hour together - separated only when they went off to put in their required hours at their summer jobs.

To be honest, all that togetherness was beginning to wear thin for the two of them as they struggled with the ups and downs of being joined at the hip. For the most part, Liam was an easygoing guy but he could certainly lose his temper when pushed and Cody was meticulous and finicky about everything from the way he dressed to the food on his plate. The word 'anal' came to mind to describe young Mr. Miller — although Liam had always uttered it with fondness in the past. After a week of living in close quarters, however, this personality trait of Cody's, which Liam had always found endearing, was really grating on his nerves.

'You know if you hadn't taken an hour in the bathroom getting ready, we wouldn't be circling the goddamn parking lot for the third time looking for a goddamn parking space' Liam spat out, his voice uncharacteristically angry.

'Would you please relax. This is Josh we're talking about. He's a grownup! If he doesn't see us standing there when he gets off the bus, he'll wait for us' Cody argued.

'Oh, because that's a great way to be welcomed to a city you've never been to' Liam replied sarcastically.

Cody let out a frustrated expletive before spotting a parking spot up ahead.

'There!' he shouted as Liam slammed on the brakes in an effort not to drive past it.

The sudden jolt was followed by a second lurch as the car which had been following close behind them collided with the back of their car, sending it flying forward on a collision course with a third, parked car.

The two men sat there gobsmacked for a moment before fully realizing what had just happened.

'Great!' Liam cried out in total exasperation as he hit the steering wheel with force. 'Now, look what you've done!'

Cody glared at his boyfriend who, for all intents and purposes, had totally lost it, managing to catch his breath before speaking.

'Are you all right?' he mumbled.

Liam seemed to calm down at the question and nodded. 'You?'

'I'm fine' Cody barked back as he stepped out of the car to survey the damage.

Liam was about to do the same when he felt his phone vibrating against his chest. Must be Josh looking for them, he thought as he reached in his shirt pocket to glance at the screen.

' _Just checking in to make sure everything's all right'_ his dad had texted.

He'd always had impeccable timing.

WCWCWC

Sara stepped into the room carrying a tray of coffee and a couple of bakery bags; she looked amazing in a bright orange summer dress, strappy sandals and her face relaxed and full of life. Neal tried to reign in his frustration at his current predicament and he gave her a forced smile - as if she wouldn't notice.

'How are you feeling?' she asked as she made her way over to where he sat, leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek.

'Fine… better' he lied, reaching to take the cup of coffee she was offering.

'Mmmm, smells good!'

'A bowl of café au lait, as requested' she replied as she busied herself with pulling out an assortment of french pastries from the white paper bags.

'I'm going to have to cut down on that stuff if I'm going to be sitting around like a bump on a log instead of walking five miles a day' Neal commented with a disingenuous smirk.

'Don't worry about it' Sara replied, biting into a chocolatine and moaning in appreciation. 'Like you said, we're on holidays.'

Easy for her to say, Neal thought as he studied her. She'd never looked more vibrant; her warm, carefree smile, the spring in her step, the glimmer in her eye. Paris suited her and he was thrilled that they'd finally made their dream trip a reality. In comparison, Neal felt old and decrepit as he nursed his annoying injury - all because he'd been too proud to let a friend beat him up a stupid climbing wall.

Sara settled on the arm of his chair and leaned in, running her hand through his hair.

'What's the matter, baby? You look like you lost your best friend.'

'I'm just annoyed' he mumbled, relaxing into her lingering touch.

'Accidents happen, it's not your fault' she said with a quick kiss to his forehead.

She moved over to sit opposite him on the couch and she watched as he took a sip of café au lait, his face contorted as he took in what she'd just said.

'Actually… it kind of _is_ my fault' he admitted warily.

'What do you mean? I thought you said you injured it climbing up the rock wall at your bachelor party' she said. 'How is that _your_ fault?'

He looked away, embarrassed. When recounting the unfortunate episode, he'd left out the fact that his pride had played a big part in causing the mishap and he'd avoided mentioning that he'd been hell bent on beating Jeff Mason up that damn wall when the incident occurred.

'I was trying to beat Jeff Mason up the wall' he mumbled, looking away.

'Neaaaal!' Sara whined with a look of scorn. 'Why?'

Neal shook his head in frustration. 'Because… he pushes my buttons and… he's ahead of me in the Christmas decorating competition —'

Sara cut him off, obviously annoyed at what she was hearing.

'You're kidding!' she exclaimed, exasperated. 'Neal Caffrey, you've got to get over this stupid obsession with the Christmas decorating contest. It's the middle of June and we're in Paris for heavens sake and we're talking about goddamn Christmas decorations!'

'You asked…' he grumbled, now feeling even worse than before.

'This competitive streak of yours… it's got to stop!' she added for good measure.

Sara could see from his reaction that he felt like crap - both figuratively and physically. This was no time to be doubling down on this; he obviously felt bad about what had happened and now, he had to suffer the consequences of his foolish pride. She stood and took a few steps, crouching down to face him as he sat, one hand holding the ice against the inside of his thigh, the other, his cup of coffee.

'Honey, this obsession with winning… it's not healthy' she said, her voice softening.

He looked at her and shrugged demurely, knowing full well she was right. But he just couldn't seem to help himself when it came to Jeff Mason; the guy always got to him with his smugness and overbearing arrogance.

Sara ran her hand down Neal's cheek. 'Don't you realize you two are exactly the same…'

'We are NOT!' Neal interrupted, his voice growing louder; she'd obviously hit a nerve.

'… when it comes to competition, yes you are' Sara clarified as she leaned in to caress his face.

He pouted, his bottom lip protruding like a three-year-old and Sara laughed, climbing gingerly onto his lap without putting her full weight onto him. She placed her arms around his neck, pulling him in against her chest and she felt his body start to relax against her as he sought comfort from his currently miserable condition.

Sara leaned in to whisper in his ear. 'But you know what?' she murmured playfully. 'You are a _lot_ smarter, a _lot_ better looking and _much_ sexier than Jeff Mason…' she cooed in his ear as he began to thaw. '…and don't you forget it.'

There was a sudden, unexpected knock at the door and Sara sat up, a glowing smile on her face.

'Your surprise is here!' she declared as she got to her feet.

WCWCWC

The house was unusually quiet as Jacob snoozed in his crib by his parents' bed. Cameron took advantage of the lull in activity to catch up on research for some new art he wanted to purchase for the gallery while Hope lay next to him, leafing through 'Today's Parent' magazine, compliments of a gift subscription from her aunt Elizabeth, both of them blissfully content with their ho-hum domestic existence.

Hope had been reading an article about breast pumps when her attention moved to her hot looking hubby and she leisurely ran her hand up Cam's leg, momentarily distracting him from his task. After more than a week of intense focus on their son, his attention suddenly shifted to his beautiful wife and he reciprocated by closing his laptop and turning to face her, a goofy smile on his face.

'Hey Mom' he purred, bringing his lips to rest on her neck.

She giggled and he pulled back, laughing in response to her perfectly serene smile.

'I guess we're going to have to figure out how to get some alone time' he murmured as he glanced over to where the baby slept peacefully.

'Is there such a thing?' Hope answered wryly.

'There _better_ be' Cameron sighed. Suddenly, he was feeling aroused and looking to act on his impulses. He let his hand linger up Hope's body and froze as the sound of the phone was heard resonating through the apartment.

'Ignore it' he ordered, his eyes growing dark.

'It's going to wake the baby' Hope admonished as she reached over to pick it up. She was about to send it to voicemail when she noticed it was her aunt Emily - a rare occurrence.

'It's Aunt Emily' she explained as she brought to phone to her ear, leaving Cam with his mouth hanging open.

'Aunt Em! Hi!' she said as she slipped out of bed and into the next room to keep from waking the baby.

'Hi sweetie' came the cheerful voice on the other end. 'Is this a bad time?'

'No, no, of course not' Hope lied. 'The baby's sleeping.'

'How is he?' Emily asked, joy obvious in her voice.

'He's wonderful. I think we've finally got him on a schedule' Hope replied, this time a truth.

'So, how are things? Have you heard from your folks?' Emily asked.

Hope chuckled. 'Yeah, pretty well every day. They're having a great time, going out to fancy dinners and shows. Dad must be in seventh heaven.'

'Your mom sent me a couple of pictures they took at the Place de la Concorde. The weather looks nice' Emily continued.

'Actually, I'm glad you called' Hope said. 'I wanted to call and tell you about my meeting with Rhett Wallace. Guess what? They're publishing our book!'

'I heard' Emily replied, sounding excited.

Hope frowned in response to what she'd just heard; how did she know? Silence ensued and Emily spoke up, providing an explanation.

'Rhett called me…' she admitted as Hope smiled.

'He called you?'

'Yeah, we've… been in touch since I've been back' Emily said cryptically. 'Anyway, I am _so_ happy for you. He said he'd talked to you about the possibility of more books.'

'I was shocked' Hope admitted. 'I just wanted to do this as a surprise for Dad but Rhett says there's a market for this kind of story.'

'You're too modest, Hope' Emily interrupted. 'Rhett says your illustrations were the real selling point.'

Hope found herself beaming; she'd never even considered such an outlet for her talents but now, the thought of her artwork being enjoyed by children and parents everywhere was beyond gratifying. After struggling for so long with where she was headed, this was an unexpected albeit wonderful little detour, something she could do while she was home with her son.

'Does he know yet?' Emily asked.

'No, they were leaving the next day and I thought I'd wait until they got back.' Hope sighed.

'He'll be thrilled' Emily opined.

'You think so?' Hope asked, unsure.

'Are you kidding, your dad has a definite vain streak. He's going to love having his name on a book' Emily joked.

'I suppose…' Hope said just as the sound of her son's cries was heard coming from the next room.

'Oh, oh' Emily said. 'Sounds like you're needed.'

'Well, one part of my anatomy is, anyway' Hope chuckled.

WCWCWC

Seeing Josh Monteith again was great and Liam and Cody had temporarily set aside their little tiff to welcome the young man to New York in style. Their little misadventure in the parking lot had been resolved with a minimum of damage to the cars involved and after a brief exchange of insurance papers, all three drivers had carried on with their day.

There was definitely a visit to the car repair shop in Liam's near future but, for the moment, the car was still functional and he and Cody had headed inside to welcome his college roommate to the Big Apple. The lovers had glossed over their earlier argument and Josh hadn't been the wiser as the three of them headed out for a late lunch in one of the fancy eateries in the Chelsea District followed by a visit to the gallery and some general sightseeing. By the time they'd returned to the old homestead, it was past 9:00 and Liam put on some coffee and helped Josh settle in the family room.

'Hope you don't mind the hide-a-bed' he told his buddy.

'Hey, this is luxury compared to some of the places I've slept' the young man said with a chuckle.

'We were thinking of taking you out to the Empire State Building tomorrow' Liam said, reaching into the fridge for some odds and ends to munch on.

'Yeah, anything' Josh said. 'It's just exciting to be in New York, I've always wanted to visit.'

'Well, there's a jazz festival I think you might like in Central Park starting on Tuesday and I got us some tickets to a play' Liam prattled on as Cody looked on in silence.

'And there's the Gay Pride parade in a few days. You up for that?'

'Yeah, of course. I march every year back home with my brother and his husband' Josh replied.

Cody had grown increasingly quiet, seemingly still brooding from their little altercation earlier in the day and if Liam had any doubts as to the reason for the young man's silence, they were all but dispelled when Cody finally spoke up.

'You know what, I'm going to let you two catch up and head back home' he muttered.

Liam looked up at his boyfriend, his eyes growing in surprise. They'd been together non-stop for days now and this seemed to be coming out of left field - well, not left field, exactly considering their earlier bickering but still.…

Luckily, Liam had inherited his dad's easygoing nature; he was always quick to forgive and never held a grudge but Cody had a somewhat different temperament. He tended to brood and ruminate and needed some time to fully digest things following an argument. Liam had been so focussed on having Josh there, he'd missed some obvious signs of disgruntlement on the part of his better half.

'Don't do that' Liam replied spontaneously, sounding a lot needier than he'd meant to. 'Stay!'

Cody avoided looking straight at his paramour. 'I promised my dad I'd give him a hand with moving some furniture' he lied, to Liam's dismay.

Young Caffrey stared at him in surprise and Josh, who was a pretty savvy guy, finally picked up on the sudden tension in the room.

'Can I use your washroom?' he asked, pointing to the front of the house.

'Yeah, of course' Liam replied absent-mindedly.

The moment Josh disappeared, Liam took the few steps separating him from his boyfriend, concern written on his face.

'Look, I'm really sorry about earlier' he murmured as he stepped into Cody's space and touched his arm.

Cody's face remained strained but he didn't make any move to back away, he just let Liam's hand linger on his arm for a moment.

'You know… I think it's just been really intense living in the same house for the past few days. Maybe we just need a bit of a break…' Cody muttered, avoiding Liam's gaze.

'A break? Aww, come on, babe' Liam pleaded, trying hard to keep his voice down. 'We can talk this through.'

Cody took a step back and let out a long slow breath. 'We will, we will. Just… not tonight' he said, lines appearing on his forehead.

The two of them rarely argued; the truth was that living in different cities most of the year meant that every moment together had to be savoured and enjoyed, a lesson they'd learned early on after Liam's move to Syracuse. It was ironic that they would argue because they'd had _too much_ togetherness after being deprived of being together for so long.

Liam gave it one more try, anxious to keep Cody from leaving. 'Please, please don't go' he pleaded as Cody pulled away.

'I'll call you tomorrow' Cody said resolutely as he turned to leave.

And just like that, Liam was left to reflect on what had really motivated him to behave the way he had and to question whether he might have gone too far.

WCWCWC

Neal was in the zone, the pain in his groin temporarily forgotten and he leaned forward, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he fiddled with a fine detail on the canvas before him. It was going on 8:00 and he seemed to have forgotten all about the fact that the audience would be settling in right about now for the nightly instalment at the Folies bergère.

Sara lay on the bed, propped up on one elbow, her right leg bent and her hair mussed as she posed for him in the kinky leather bustier Neal loved so much.

'Do you need a break?' he called out from his spot nearby.

'Maybe just a minute' she replied as she stretched her back.

Neal glanced at the clock on the bedside table. 'Is that the time? We haven't even thought about dinner' he said, getting to his feet and reaching for the in-room menu. 'You hungry, babe?'

She hummed in agreement and he made his way over to the bed and flopped next to her as she looked over his shoulder at the offerings on the menu.

'Oh and I've got another surprise for you… in about an hour' she said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

' _Another_ surprise! I like the sound of that' he said, leering at her and letting his finger linger between her protruding breasts.

'Not _that,_ silly' she said slapping his hand away. 'Too much of that is what got you into trouble in the first place.'

'What then?' Neal asked as he leaned back on his elbows with a relaxed smile.

'You'll see…' she replied with a gleam in her eye.

It wasn't often Sara got to surprise her husband - surprises were really more _his_ thing - and she was thrilled to have managed to pull him out of his funk. The day, which had begun with frustration and resentment on his part seemed to have taken a turn for the better.

Neal had been shocked when the door to their room had opened to reveal a delivery from 'Acrylique et aquarelle' that cute little art shop around the corner from the hotel. He'd noticed it on their daily walks and had been planning on stopping in at some point to check it out. But Sara had beat him to it and she'd gone in and purchased everything he could possibly need to do some sketching and painting: some canvas, paints, brushes, pencils and a folding easel so that he could sketch and paint from some of the many photographs they'd taken since their arrival in Paris.

But the icing on the cake had been Sara's surprise appearance, wearing that sexy bustier he'd begged her to bring along on their trip. She hadn't worn it in years but it still fit like a glove and now that her insecurities about her scar was beginning to fade along with the stitches, she'd paraded into the room looking confident and sexy as hell in high heels and sheer stockings.

As she knew he would, Neal had gotten lost in the creative process and minute by minute, Sara had seen the tension disappearing from his face as he indulged in one of his passions - something he didn't always have a whole lot of time for with his busy schedule.

'This looks good' Neal said, pointing to the menu. 'Why don't we get a nice cheese platter and we could share a Steak frites.'

'And…' Sara shouted as she sprang to her feet, remembering the other purchase she'd made on her little trek to the shops that morning. She pulled out a bottle of Merlot and Neal frowned in response, realizing he wasn't going to be partaking of the fine wine.

But Sara continued to smile broadly and he stared back at her, trying to figure out the source of her glee.

'Non-alcoholic Merlot!' she declared with excitement as she danced around the room.

Neal smiled; he loved it when she let herself be spontaneous - which wasn't all that often - and to see her dancing around the room with a bottle of wine in her hands and nothing but a sexy bustier and four inch heels did his heart good.

He got to his feet and grabbed for a couple of wine glasses from the nearby desk.

'Yes!' he replied, matching his wife's enthusiasm.

He proceeded to pour them each a glassful and they faced each other, her in her over the top get-up, he in a t-shirt and silk pyjama bottom.

'To Paris… viewed from inside a hotel room' he said as he lifted his glass.

'Not so bad, huh?' she replied.

As far as substitutes went, the wine wasn't half bad but more than anything, Neal appreciated the effort Sara had made to turn what could have been a very gloomy day into more fun than he'd had in a long time.

'Thanks Repo' he said, turning serious.

'You're welcome' she replied with a satisfied smile.

TBC


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter 64**

'Pleeeaaase' Neal begged, playing it up.

'No!'

'Come on, Sara' he pleaded. 'Just fifteen minutes.'

'No Neal!' she replied, without pity.

'I'm telling you, I'm feeling much better!' he argued.

'Good! Then imagine how amazing you'll feel tomorrow if you take another day to rest.'

Neal scowled at her, arms crossed tightly across his chest; he felt like a child being sent to his room without dinner instead of a grown man on a holiday with his wife. Sara could see from his reaction that she might have been a little hasty and she walked over to where he sat on the armchair by the window - a spot he'd been occupying for the better part of the past thirty-six hours.

She perched herself on the arm of the chair, trying to get her husband to look at her - something he steadfastly refused to do, choosing instead to stare out the hotel room window longingly at the city below.

'You're right' she mumbled as he lifted his eyes to look at her. 'Maybe I'm being a little too…

'Pushy? Bossy? Forceful?' he suggested as she frowned in response to his choice of descriptives.

'I suppose we _could_ take a short stroll in the Jardin' she admitted.

'But just for a few minutes!' she hastened to add as his face lit up. 'You heard what the hotel doctor said, you need to avoid overexerting yourself for the next few days if you don't want another setback.'

Neal stared back, brows knitted in misery as she continued.

'If you promise to take it easy, maybe we can go to that play you've been wanting to see - that remake of 'La cage aux folly.'

'You mean 'La cage aux _folles_ ' he corrected with a snark. 'And yeah… I'd like that — a lot.'

'We could always bring some ice packs with us to the theatre…' she began as he glared at her.

'I am _not_ icing my crotch in the middle of the Eldorado!' Neal exclaimed emphatically.

'Fine, fine… look, I'm sorry, maybe I _am_ overthinking this' Sara added, her tone more conciliatory. 'It's just that we have six days left and if we want to get around to doing some of the things we said we wanted to do, you need to let your body heal properly.'

The truth was, Neal was a lot angrier at himself than he was at his wife yet sadly, she was the one suffering the brunt of his frustration and displeasure. What, at first, had seemed like an innocuous injury was playing havoc with their long awaited holiday and he was more than a little pissed off about it. Although she'd found a way to make their Saturday fun, Sara couldn't be expected to entertain him indefinitely as if he were a bored three-year-old.

Neal exhaled loudly — one might even say, dramatically. 'I realize this is no party for you either, babe.'

'It's okay' Sara said, trying to put on a brave face. 'You can't say we didn't enjoy our day yesterday.'

She pointed to the canvas which sat on the small easel, the fruit of Neal's labour; it was always disconcerting to see depictions of herself, especially one where she was striking such a provocative pose, clad in nothing but a leather undergarment. Her kids would be mortified.

'What are we going to do with that thing, anyway?' she asked with a smirk. 'It's not like we can drag it all the way back to the States and put it up in our family room.'

'Oh, didn't I tell you? The Louvre called and they want it for their permanent collection. Said they wanted to put it up in the main hall' Neal teased, standing to admire what he had to admit was a pretty good depiction of a hot, sexy redhead in a revealing pose, wearing very little in the way of… clothing.

Sara stood to join him. 'I'd die of embarrassment' she admitted. 'You know, you always make me look sexier than I really am' she murmured with a smile. 'I wish I _really_ looked this good.'

Neal brought his arm around her waist and drew her near. 'What are you talking about? You look _exactly_ like this' he managed to say with a straight face.

'You are very sweet and… a very convincing liar' she laughed as she hugged him.

Since he'd gotten up that morning, she'd noticed that he was moving around with a lot more ease than the day before when he'd practically been limping to keep from tugging on his painful groin. Of course, he'd been icing his injury every hour and resting most of the day and she worried that if he let up, they'd find themselves right back where they started.

Neal could see the look of uncertainty in her eyes. 'It really _does_ feel a lot better, you know' he confided. 'That massage you got me last night really helped.'

'When I found out they did couples' massages right in the room, I knew it was just the thing…' Sara admitted with a satisfied grin. 'Maybe we can get another one tonight.'

Neal laced his arms around her a little tighter, pulling her in so her face was mere inches from his. 'I'll admit I was reckless. I shouldn't have waited, I should have told you right off the bat that I was in pain.'

'How about we make a deal?' he added. 'I won't try to hide it if it starts to act up again and you'll… well, you'll cut me some slack.'

'All right, that sounds fair' Sara said, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. 'But let's not overdo it, okay?'

'Promise' Neal replied, head cocked to one side. ' _Now_ , can we go?'

WCWCWC

'What have you got there?' Caitlin asked as she stepped into the kitchen.

Liam looked up from his spot at the kitchen table where he'd been working most of the afternoon on a very special dinner - all in the hopes of getting back into Cody's good graces.

'It's an album Mom's been keeping for years… with all my _exploits_ ' he replied, tongue in cheek.

Caitlin peeked down at the scrapbook, spying a photograph of a young looking Liam in his high school basketball uniform, holding a trophy in his hands and smiling back broadly at the camera.

'She _is_ awfully proud of you' she said. 'And don't even get me started on your dad!'

Liam chuckled, closing the book and looking up at Caitlin. 'Where's Josh?'

'He's just getting ready, he'll be down in a minute' she replied.

'You know, I really appreciate you taking him out tonight' Liam said, standing to stir something that smelled amazing on the stove.

'I don't mind' Caitlin replied with a loud sigh. 'I haven't been to Times Square in ages and there's this new restaurant I've been wanting to try. Anyway, Will and I could use a little break from each other.'

Liam turned to face her, his face growing serious. 'Why? What's going on with you two?'

Caitlin noticed that he actually looked concerned - which was a welcome change from just a few weeks before when he'd been so tentative about the two of them being together.

She peeked at what was in the pot on top of the stove and sniffed, humming.

'Mmmm. Is that your dad's famous clam sauce?' she asked in a very poor attempt at changing the subject.

Liam didn't fall for the ploy and he turned to look her straight in the eye. 'Come on. Spill. What's going on with you and Will?'

She pursed her lips and let out a puff of air before answering. 'We went to look at apartments.'

'Oh yeah? I didn't think he made enough money at the pet store to afford an apartment' Liam commented.

'He doesn't' she replied as Liam frowned.

'But we _could_ afford it if we pooled our resources' she said tentatively, unsure of his reaction.

Liam's eyes grew in response. 'I didn't realize you were thinking about moving out.'

'Yeah, I've been thinking about it for a while' Caitlin admitted. 'Your mom and dad have had to put up with me long enough. They deserve some privacy… especially now that you and Hope aren't living here. I feel like an albatross around their neck.'

Liam turned to check on the sauce and chuckled. 'Hyperbolize much?'

'No, I mean it. They've been amazing and now that… well, now that I've got a part-time job and I'm doing well in school, I think it's time I stand on my own two feet.'

'I've never heard them complain about you still being at home. As a matter of fact, I'm sure they'd be sad to see you move out' Liam observed with sincerity.

Caitlin laughed out loud and Liam gave her a look of confusion. 'What?'

'Look at us. Talking like normal human beings' she commented as he began to laugh too.

'Yeah, who'd a thunk it, huh?' he nodded in agreement. 'I'm sorry it hasn't always been like this between us.'

She shook her head. 'Are you kidding? That's totally my fault. I've never made it easy for you, Liam.'

'You're not so bad' he retorted with a wink.

'So, what's all _this_ about?' she asked pointing to the array of food on the counter waiting to be prepped.

'I… I kind of blew it with Cody yesterday and… well, I owe him an apology.'

'What did you do?' she asked.

'I lost my temper and… let's just say he didn't deserve the way I treated him.'

'What happened?' she asked, sensing there was more to it.

'I just blew up, said some pretty nasty things… Ever since Jacob was born and Mom and Dad's wedding… I can feel him getting serious about the future and to be honest… I'm kind of freaking out.'

'Freaking out?' she repeated.

'Yeah, I love Cody. Hell, I've loved Cody since I first figured out I liked guys. He was my first and I love being with him but…'

Caitlin studied his face. 'You're not sure you've got a future with him?'

'No… I am, I mean, the immediate future. It's just that I don't know about five years from now or ten years from now or… heaven forbid, twenty-five years like Mom and Dad. It's… scary, you know.'

'I get it. I'm petrified I'm going to blow it with Will. He's perfect, Liam, absolutely perfect and… well, I'm… not' she said, eyes dropping to look at the floor.

'Hey, what are you talking about?' Liam said with a broad smile. 'You are _exactly_ what Will needs. I've never seen him this happy, even when he was with Josie.'

'Really?' Caitlin said, eyes brightening.

'Yeah, really. Josie was great in the beginning but she was clingy and… well, she didn't really bring out the best in him. You… you make him laugh and he can't keep his eyes off you when you're in the room - or his hands, apparently' he added with an eye roll.

She smiled wistfully. It was nice to hear Liam speaking about her and Will's relationship in such glowing terms - especially knowing how he'd felt about their pairing in the beginning.

'Thanks Liam' she said quietly. 'But I really don't want to mess this up. He's a great guy and he deserves to be happy. I'm just not sure I'm the one for him.'

Liam leaned in, tapping the tip of her nose playfully. 'Why don't you let Will decide that.'

WCWCWC

Neal's mood improved considerably when he was finally let out of their hotel room. He'd been getting a bad case of cabin fever and just being out in the fresh air seemed enough to turn that persistent frown he'd been sporting into a smile. True to his word, they kept their stroll through the nearby Jardin des Tuileries short and sweet and they returned to their room to change for an afternoon performance of the well known comedy Neal had already seen on three previous occasions - in three different cities.

Sara changed into a pretty flowery dress she'd picked up at a nearby boutique on their first day there and Neal changed out of his casual clothes into some dress pants and a pale blue shirt and tie, foregoing a jacket considering the warm, sunny day. He gave in to her insistence to cab it over to the historic venue and even though she kept repeatedly checking on how he was feeling throughout the performance, Neal didn't seem to mind. Dinner consisted of a more modest meal in a small café a mere block away from the hotel and they were back in their room by nine o'clock, planning outings and activities for the rest of the week and texting back and forth with home to check on things.

Either the kids were being cagey or everything really _was_ going perfectly smoothly. Liam reported that Josh had arrived for a visit and had taken up residence on the hide-a-bed in the family room. He didn't share the news about the fender bender in the bus station's parking lot nor did he mention his falling out with Cody or Caitlin's ramblings about moving out.

Sara called Chicago and spoke briefly to Emily, gushing about the play they'd seen and she and Neal took turns talking to Hope and asking her to put Jacob on the line so they could hear him breathe — the oddest request on record no doubt. Hope texted some new pictures of the baby and Neal sat there for a long time, studying them and gushing about how cute he was and how big he was getting.

By the time they made it to bed on Sunday night, things were looking up for the couple. Neal felt great and that meant that Sara felt great too and they fell asleep under the watchful eye of Neal's muse staring down at them from the easel nearby.

WCWCWC

'Wow, you really went all out' Cody commented as an amazing plate of food appeared in front of him. 'You know, you didn't mess up _that_ badly.'

Liam placed a second plate of pasta with clam sauce on the table and took the spot across from his boyfriend, avoiding his gaze.

'Yes, I did' he said simply.

Cody's hand was instantly on his. 'I was angry too, babe…'

Besides apologizing, Liam knew he needed to come clean about his feelings; getting frustrated and shouting at Cody had merely been a symptom of how he'd been feeling since Cody had moved in.

'I guess things just… boiled over' Liam said as he looked down at his plate of food. 'Eat!' he urged, '…before it gets cold.'

'I love this stuff' Cody said. 'Do you think yours is as good as your dad's?'

'Only one way to find out' Liam replied as he took a first tentative bite.

Cody followed suit, diving in and reaching for a piece of cheese garlic bread - one of his favourites. He hummed his appreciation.

'Well done, babe' he said, his mouth full.

The two men grew silent as they enjoyed their meal, the sound of Raffie's snoring, coming from underneath the table, the only sound in the quiet house.

'You know you didn't have to get rid of Josh' Cody commented. 'He could have had dinner with us.'

Liam shrugged. 'I just thought it would be nice to have some time alone… to talk.'

'That sounds ominous' Cody replied as he kept eating. 'Is Will home?'

'No, he's working. Besides, he and Caitlin are… taking a bit of a break.'

'A break? How come?'

Of the two of them, Cody had been the more enthusiastic about Caitlin and Will's chances at making it and the truth was, he liked seeing them together and thought they were a good match.

'Oh, nothing too serious' Liam replied. 'Caitlin says Will is looking for a place to live and he suggested they share a place out in New Rochelle.'

'Wow!' Cody said. 'That's sudden, isn't it?'

'I suppose… apparently, Caitlin's been thinking about moving out for a while and this place they both like… well, neither one of them can afford it on their own.'

Cody grew quiet, digesting the news. 'What do _you_ think?' he asked his boyfriend.

Liam looked up from his plate. 'Caitlin seems to have gotten it in her head that my parents might want some time alone now that Hope and I have moved out but… anyway, I never got the impression they were in any hurry to see her move out.'

'I get it' Cody mused, his look far away. 'Sometimes, I think about getting out from under my parents' roof and into a place of my own… preferably with you.'

That seemed like the perfect segue to what had been on Liam's mind the last few days. He needed to open up about how he'd been feeling and he put down his fork and reached over to touch Cody's arm, rubbing it gently as he spoke.

'You know I love you, right?' he began.

'Oh shit' Cody replied, dropping his fork. 'Are you breaking up with me?'

'No! No, of course I'm not breaking up with you' Liam hastened to say. 'I just told you… I love you.'

'Then, what? Why are looking at me like you're about to give me some bad news.'

Liam let out a loud sigh, weighing his words carefully. 'Having you stay here… it's been nice in so many ways. Going to sleep with you, waking up with you, having all our meals together…'

'Yeah, I'm really enjoying it' Cody replied in agreement.

'…and the sex has been amazing' Liam added with a sparkle in his eye.

He grew quiet. 'Is there a but?' Cody asked.

'It's just… a little intense' Liam finally admitted. 'I think that's why I lost it. I've been feeling some… pressure.'

He'd thought ahead about the words he would use; he didn't want it to sound like he was accusing Cody of anything; this was all about him and how he'd been handling the events of the past week - the uneasiness around all the intimacy, morning, noon and night. It was all a little… suffocating.

Cody's face grew sad and he let out a loud sigh. 'I thought we were doing great. I was… really enjoying playing house.'

'And so was I… most of the time' Liam said. 'It's just… when I was away at school, I got to see you every couple of weeks and it was so exciting to be with you and…'

Cody frowned, trying his best to understand what Liam was explaining - with insufficient clarity, it seemed. He settled back in his chair, his appetite disappearing and he took a breath, listening intently to his boyfriend.

'…and then, Jake was born and you asked me how I felt about having kids and then, when my folks got married, I started to see that weird look in your eyes… and you started reminding me that we could have it all if we wanted and…'

The room grew deafeningly quiet as Liam hesitated.

'I guess, I started to panic. And then, suddenly everything started getting on my nerves… the cute way you slurp the milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl, the way you always leave your shoes right where I trip over them by the bed… it all got a little too real and… it wasn't so cute anymore.'

Cody chuckled and Liam let out a sigh of relief at his reaction; the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his feelings - or worse yet, leave the impression he didn't want to be with him.

'But now I realize it doesn't really have anything to do with the way you slurp your milk or where you leave your shoes, it was just… me. I get scared when I think ahead to where we might be headed… a little excited but a lot scared.'

Cody just sat there, seemingly in shock.

'Like I said, I love you' Liam murmured, deciding it was time to shut up and let Cody get a word in edgewise.

'You crazy… beautiful man' Cody said, his hand lingering on Liam's. 'I guess you're right. I didn't realize I was putting pressure on you. It's true that if you asked me to move in with you today, I'd probably say yes without even hesitating but I don't want you to feel pressured.'

'But…' Liam began as Cody interrupted.

'Shut up, let me finish' he admonished as Liam pursed his lips in an effort to be quiet.

'I'm not asking for a commitment from you, Liam. Not _now_. But you can't blame me for hoping that… someday, you'll want more than just… casual dating.'

'This is _not_ casual dating, Cody' Liam insisted.

'Wrong choice of words' Cody admitted. 'If you want to take this further than… what we've been doing, I'm all for it but I'm not in any hurry. And in the end, if for some reason, this… we fall apart…' he said, shrugging.

'We're not going to fall apart, babe' Liam said, reaching out to touch Cody's arm. 'Nothing's changed about the way I feel about you. Please… don't read more into this than what it is… just me, freaking out a little because I'm not used to sharing every single minute of every single day with someone else.'

'You realize this is all your parents' fault, right?' Cody said with a twinkle in his eye.

Liam frowned in response. 'What do you mean?'

'If they hadn't gone away, I wouldn't have moved in and…'

Liam laughed. 'It's nice to have you around more' he said as he stood and reached for his boyfriend, sweeping him up into his arms.

They kissed and Cody pulled away, looking into Liam's eyes. 'Just not every single minute of every single day.'

Liam shrugged and pulled him in for another kiss. 'Shut up' he murmured.

TBC


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter 65**

By the middle of the week, Neal was once again in fighting form. His injury was healing nicely, thanks to the daily massages Sara had arranged for him as well as regular ice compresses applied to his family jewels.

Now, they were back to walking almost everywhere they went, enjoying daily strolls in the nearby Jardin as well as long, leisurely excursions to galleries, exhibits, museums and shows to say nothing of their frequent visits to local restaurants and cafés. They had ticked off all the boxes on their long list of places to visit: the Louvre, the Arc de triomphe, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Champs Élysées, they'd even taken a short tour of the Eiffel Tower, the biggest tourist attraction of them all.

But more than anything, they'd been enjoying each other's company, reconnecting in a way their daily lives didn't always allow. There were comfortable silences, animated discussions, lots of laughter, a few lazy mornings and much hand holding and warm gazing into each other's eyes over countless cups of delicious café au lait and mouth watering croissants.

Neal had saved one of the better outings for the end of their trip: a visit to the renowned restaurant where his old friend Hervé Cassavant was employed as sous-chef. The man had promised to make Neal and Sara's last night in Paris one they would always remember and Neal was banking on it.

Like Neal, Hervé had lived a very colourful life, travelling all over Europe in search of mischief and like Neal, he was no stranger to the penal system, having spent several years behind bars in a Belgium prison following an aborted heist at the Magritte Museum.

Neal and Mozzie had worked a couple of high stakes jobs with the man in Paris, and had moved on to Milan, when, one day, Hervé announced he was heading to Belgium to meet up with an old acquaintance of his. Neal had opted for a return to Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, where he'd shacked up in a charming two bedroom pied-à-terre with a bright sunroom on a quaint cobblestone street. Turned out Hervé's associate in Brussels had been rather sloppy and Mozzie had been visiting Neal when news came that Hervé had been arrested, bringing his lucrative relationship with the two American conmen to an abrupt and premature end.

Mozzie had kept in touch with the man over the years and he'd been the one to inform Neal that Hervé was now gainfully employed at one of Paris' finest restaurants, having trained as a chef at the prestigious Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts upon his release from prison. Like Neal, Hervé Cassavant was now living on the straight and narrow, following his marriage to a woman he'd met while serving his sentence - a prison bunny, of all things.

'So, tell me again how you know this guy?' Sara asked as she stood in their hotel room in nothing but her bra and panties.

'From my old life' Neal replied casually, concentrating on his choice of tie for the evening.

'Tell me' she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed so she could study his face.

He laughed. 'Seriously?'

'Yeah, I want to know.'

Sara knew pretty well all the funny business Neal had been up to during his youth. After all, there were no secrets between them and over the years, dozens of incredible stories had trickled out in passing conversation. Mozzie, in particular, was big on reminiscing and he never hesitated to share the details of their capers, often exaggerating their prowess in the process. But Neal had always been discreet about recounting his exploits in front of the kids, not wanting to glorify his criminal behaviour or normalize it in any way. Apparently, many stories including the tale of how Neal had met Hervé Cassavant, still remained untold.

Neal rarely gave his old life a second thought but being in Paris had brought back a slew of memories and all week, he'd been flashing back to episodes from his early years - before his life in White Plains, before Sara Ellis, before Peter Burke, before Sing Sing and before the FBI. Some of them involved Kate and more than once over the past week, he'd found himself strolling down memory lane, thinking of his ex-girlfriend and their life together.

'I was here with Kate when I was in my early twenties. That's when I first met Hervé' Neal recalled as he sat across from Sara, holding a couple of ties in his hands.

'It was after the whole Adler debacle' Neal explained, his voice quiet. 'We were both pretty shook up about what had happened… and we were broke. Moz, Kate and I had been running some small cons in New York and after a while, we decided to come here to see what we could find. We were here for about two months when I met this guy who was working at a gallery not too far from here.'

'Is it still there? The gallery?' Sara asked, her eyes curious.

'No, we walked past there the other day. It's a laundromat now' he laughed. 'But back then, it was a yuppy art gallery and I had my eye on a sculpture Kate had fallen in love with. I was casing the joint one day when this guy came up to me. He'd made me but surprisingly, he didn't rat me out. Instead, we struck up a deal. He conveniently 'forgot' to put on the alarm one night and in exchange, I grabbed a piece he'd wanted.'

Sara shook her head; sometimes she just couldn't believe the stuff her husband had been up to during his youth. Neal's eyes remained unfocused, his mind fixated on the past.

'Hervé and I ran our little scheme a few more times before his boss figured out what was going on and when things started to heat up, we both hightailed it to Milan where we worked together on a couple more jobs.'

'Was Kate still with you?' Sara asked. 'In Milan?'

'No' Neal stated soberly. 'Kate and I… we ran hot and cold and… well, when I went to Italy, she decided to go back to the States for her dad's funeral and I stayed here.'

Sara studied his face, his gaze lost in the past, some residual regret obvious in his bright blue eyes. However misguided, his love affair with Kate had left long lasting effects, still apparent almost forty years later.

'You really loved her, didn't you?' Sara asked unexpectedly.

Neal's trance was broken and he looked at his wife of twenty-five years, his mind returning to his wonderful life in the here and now.

'Where's all this coming from, Repo?' he asked, seemingly uncomfortable with the subject.

'I don't know… you lived a whole life before we met' she said, her voice soft. 'We both did.'

Neal nodded and smiled wistfully. 'Yeah, I loved her. I was crazy about her. She was sweet and beautiful but she was also fickle and temperamental… and she could be clingy. She needed someone to look out for her, to take care of her and all I wanted was for her to be happy so I catered to her every whim.'

Sara listened, watching the memories flashing by in his eyes.

'Now that all this time has passed…' he continued, '…I realize that with Kate, it was more a case of being in love with the _idea_ of being in love. And I think she loved me as much as she could… but she needed someone to put her up on a pedestal and that's not much of a foundation for a long-lasting relationship. In the end… it's what got me into trouble' he admitted wistfully.

Sara could see that this stroll down memory lane was really tugging at her husband's heart strings. She listened intently, studying the look of sadness on his face.

'I'm sorry she had to die that way' she murmured in response to the silence in the room. 'It's all so tragic.'

Neal let out a sigh. 'Yeah… I was devastated. I felt lost… and alone. I'd been clinging to the thought of her since I'd been released from prison and I'd fooled myself into thinking we could have a normal life - the white picket fence, the whole nine yards. And then suddenly, she was gone and I felt like there was nothing left to live for.'

Sara ran her hand down his back lovingly. 'You did a pretty good job of hiding your feelings back then.'

Neal scoffed and got to his feet, standing to check himself out in the full length mirror. 'Never let them see you sweat, the conman's credo' he reminded her.

Sara stood and came up behind him, lacing her arms around his waist as he smiled back at her reflection in the mirror. He turned to face her, his eyes full of love.

'And then for some reason I will _never_ understand, you came back into my life and you brought laughter and fun and adventure and that… that sick, twisted sense of humour of yours and that horrible baton.'

She chuckled and Neal ran his hand through her hair, his face brightening.

'You were the polar opposite of Kate. You were strong and self-sufficient and stubborn and obnoxious… and I had no idea how to be with you. I hated you for what you'd done to me and yet… I couldn't get you out of my mind.'

She smiled back at him, their eyes locked on each other.

'How come you fell in love with me, Repo?' he whispered longingly, surprising her with his question.

She shrugged and smiled. 'To be honest, I don't know… you drove me crazy. From that day I saw you outside Montebello, I would get butterflies in the pit of my stomach whenever you walked into a room. Remember when I made you take that lie detector test at the FBI?'

'I lied right to your face' Neal admitted with a naughty grin.

'You're the only man I know who would be cocky enough to flirt with his interrogator while perjuring himself' she said with a chuckle.

'It was true, though' Neal said with an eyebrow wag. 'That dress you were wearing really _did_ bring out your eyes.'

Sara shook her head as she recalled his shameless flirting. 'I think deep down I knew you were lying that day… but I didn't care. And that morning I came over to your place to give you that FAA envelope…' she began as he nodded, recalling that day so long ago.

'…I had to keep my knees from shaking when you opened the door and stood there half naked, looking like some Greek god.'

Neal laughed heartily. 'You mean all it took was me baring my chest? If only I'd known' he teased, placing his hands on her hips.

'I saw something in your eyes that day' Sara said, her voice faraway. 'A vulnerability, pain and hurt. Actual feelings and… all of a sudden, you stopped being this one dimensional caricature of a conman and I realized you had blood flowing through your veins, just like the rest of us.'

Neal smiled at his wife, the memories flooding back.

'Well, whatever the reason' he murmured as he brought his lips to hers and placed a soft kiss. 'I'm glad you didn't give up on me.'

'Life is so… unpredictable' Sara murmured. 'Can you believe it? You and me, the kids and now Jacob.'

Neal frowned as he pondered the question. 'Some days I still can't believe it myself' he admitted.

Sara stepped back and looked down at his hands, breaking the spell and reaching for one of the two ties he was still holding. She threw it on the bed in a gesture of rejection.

'Definitely the blue one' she said with a confidence Neal knew all too well. 'Now, finish getting dressed. I want to go meet Hervé.'

WCWCWC

The tension between Will and Caitlin had been lingering all week; ever since their apartment hunting trek out to New Rochelle. Will had tried his best to convince her that they could make a go of living together under the same roof. Besides the more obvious practical advantages, he'd grown excited at the thought of sharing his life with the woman he was falling in love with. But she'd grown skittish and he only half believed her when she shared her concern that they might be endangering their new relationship by making such a rash decision. She'd asked for a few more days to mull it over but the proverbial writing seemed to be on the wall and he hoped it didn't spell the end of their budding romance.

For the time being, finances were his biggest challenge. He'd managed to pick up some extra shifts over the summer months and if he tried really hard to save every penny, he might be able to afford a small bachelor apartment in a not so desirable part of the city. But that meant staying a bit longer with the Caffreys and he didn't want to take advantage of their hospitality. Of course, there was the money his mom had managed to sneak to him behind his dad's back, a couple of thousand bucks. As nice as that was, it wasn't enough to pay expenses on a long-term basis and once school started, there would be a lot of additional expenses and less income as he returned to working part-time.

But weighing even more heavily on his mind was the fact that Caitlin seemed to be growing distant and he couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't using this whole issue as a way to break up with him. With the Caffreys away and Cody all but moved into Liam's room, Will had continued to share Caitlin's bed up on the third floor but he'd picked up on an aloofness in her body language and a distance in her eyes. She was the best thing that had happened to him in a very long time and the thought of carrying on without her in his life left him feeling cold and alone.

He finished locking up the store and headed towards his car - at least his dad hadn't taken that away from him — although when the time came to renew his insurance policy, he'd be on his own to cough up the cash and all bets were off as to whether he'd be able to afford it.

It was hard to believe that just a week before, he'd been living at home without a care in the world, all his needs being met by his doting parents. Now, he was on his own and feeling ill-equipped to face the world. Caitlin had been the catalyst for all the recent positive changes in his life and he had no regrets as to the decisions he'd made; he just wanted a chance to keep sharing his life with her.

Friday night… she was probably home. Maybe he could surprise her with some flowers, take her out for a late meal somewhere, maybe a movie. The Caffreys were coming home soon and that meant that now that Josh had headed back to Detroit, Will would be returning to sleep on the hide-a-bed in the family room. He sighed at the thought and spotted a strip mall up ahead, pulling in to a parking spot in front of a small flower shop.

He would do his best for now but he needed to remember to ask his girlfriend what her favourite flower was.

WCWCWC

It was late, the restaurant long closed for the night except for the two men and the woman seated around a small table, chatting softly as they sipped tea and continued picking bites out of the best Tarte Tatin in Paris. The large man took a drag of his cigarette, turning away to keep from blowing smoke in his guests' faces and he laughed gregariously as Sara entertained him with unlikely stories about Grandpa Neal.

'I swear' Sara said as Neal blushed. 'He actually listened to him breathing on the phone the other night.'

'Qu'est ce qui t'arrive, mon ami?' the man laughed as he patted Neal on the back. 'You get soft in old age.'

Neal shrugged and laughed. 'What can I say? It's true' he said, scrolling on his phone in search of the most recent photograph of little Jacob Neal Armstrong.

'Yes, yes, yes' Hervé said, waving his hand dismissively. 'You show them all to me, mon ami!'

Neal smirked and put away his phone. He took a sip of tea and looked up at the man who, except for the glint in his eye, looked totally different from the person he'd known forty years before.

'So, is this your wife's doing?' he asked as he pointed to the man's protruding belly, much different from the trim physique the man had had in his youth.

'She is amazing cook' he said, his French accent thick and cumbersome. 'You come to our house, non?'

'Not this time around, I'm afraid' Sara said. 'We're leaving tomorrow.'

'Then, you come again' the large man insisted 'and you bring children and grandchildren. We feed everyone!'

Neal glanced in Sara's direction and smiled at the thought of returning to this wonderful place with the whole family in tow. What an amazing trip that would be!

'This gallerie, what it is?' the man asked, referring to Neal's mention in passing of his beloved gallery.

'It's called the Raphael' Neal replied proudly. 'We've had it almost ten years. My daughter and I display our work there and we showcase a lot of young local artists. It's doing well, she runs it with her husband and my best friend. We're never going to get rich from it but… we do okay, don't we honey?'

Hervé nodded and watched as Neal reached over and placed his hand on the back of Sara's chair, letting it linger on her back for a moment. Sara was looking relaxed and almost regal as she sat there in a very pretty lilac coloured dress and matching shoes; apparently, Neal Caffrey had hit pay dirt in the marriage department.

'You are certain you've been married twenty-five years?' Hervé asked with a frown. 'You act like des nouveaux mariés' he said, switching from English to French whenever he couldn't find the right word.

'Well, as a matter of fact, we just renewed our wedding vows last week' Sara admitted with stars in her eyes. 'So, I guess we kind of _are_ newlyweds but yes, we have definitely been married twenty-five years and I have the wrinkles to prove it.'

'Ah, you Américains and your obsession with youth! How is the little man?'

'Mozzie's great' Neal replied. 'He's getting older like the rest of us but… he keeps his ear to the ground and he still dabbles in a few… things.'

'What about you?' Hervé couldn't help but ask. 'Do you still, _comment on dit_ , get the scratch?'

'You mean, get the itch' Neal corrected with a chuckle. 'Yeah… I'll admit, it never totally goes away and being in Paris has brought back some… interesting memories.'

Sara watched as he spoke, a wistful look in his eyes. He'd given it all up for her, for Hope, for their life and every once in a while she was struck by the enormity of the sacrifice Neal had been willing to make.

'You?' Neal asked the man.

'I miss it but my wife has me by the little hairs as you say. She would not be happy if I went back to my old life and what is it you say? Happy wife, happy life.'

Neal nodded enthusiastically and Sara chuckled. Seeing Neal in this environment was oddly disconcerting - away from their everyday suburban life, he seemed edgier, more high strung and sexier somehow - much as she'd known him in his youth. They both knew, however, that any journey down the path of criminality could only have ended one of two ways: with him in the slammer or, worse yet, dead and Neal had reassured his wife on countless occasions that he had no misgivings about leaving the life behind. But, still… seeing him like this, chatting about the old times with that naughty twinkle in his eye… well, she knew that, deep inside, there had to be some lingering regret for the life he once lived.

Hervé got a faraway look in his eye and he looked over at Neal, his eyes sparkling.

'When Arthur found me snipping in his office…' he began.

'Snooping' Neal corrected; he couldn't help himself.

Hervé shut him up with a wave of his large hand. 'Snooping' he repeated. 'I was shaking in my bottines!'

Neal picked up the story, looking up at Sara. 'I've never packed my bags so fast' he explained. 'My feet never touched the ground and we were on the first train out of here.'

'It's un miracle we didn't get picked up by the police!'

'Well, we have Moz to thank for that' Neal said. 'By the time we crossed the border, he'd found us somewhere to stay and we were able to lay low for a while.'

Sara watched the two men, marvelling at the ease with which they'd fallen back into their old rhythm. The expression 'thick as thieves' came immediately to mind. She'd always admired the code of honour Neal and Mozzie had with each other; a testament to living on the edge where your life depended on knowing who to trust while having to put your safety in the hands of some unsavoury characters.

'We bore you, beautiful Sara?' Hervé asked.

'No, not at all' Sara replied in all sincerity. 'This is fascinating; I love hearing how the people I chase every day think and what makes them do the things they do.'

Neal leaned over and took her hand in his, placing a sweet kiss on her knuckles and Hervé took a drag on his cigarette, observing them.

'I understand why now' he said as Neal looked up, brow furrowed.

'Why what?'

'Why you leave the life behind. The love of a good woman is bigger than all the bijoux in the world.'

Neal looked fondly at his wife and smiled. 'All the bijoux in the world' he repeated softly.

WCWCWC

Except for the low hum of the television, the Caffrey house was quiet and still when Will Allenby arrived, exhausted from a long shift at his job. Liam sat alone in front of the tube, one eye on the computer screen before him as he checked some scores and watched a football game at the same time.

'Hey!' Will called out as he threw the bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table.

His eyes were drawn to the backyard deck where he could see the back of his girlfriend's blond head of hair as she sat across from a young man he'd never seen before.

'Who's that?' he asked his best friend.

Liam looked up from his computer screen for a brief instant. 'Some guy Caitlin knows from university. Ben something or other.'

'Ben?' Will repeated, his face hardening. 'The Ben she was dating before me?'

Liam forced himself to concentrate on the conversation. 'I don't know…' he mumbled. 'Maybe. The guy just showed up out of the blue.'

Will watched with interest as the dark haired young man leaned in towards Caitlin to say something and he heard Caitlin's familiar laugh, muffled by the closed patio door.

'Has he been here long?' Will said, taking a seat next to Liam on the couch.

'Naw, maybe twenty minutes' Liam replied, noticing the look of alarm on his best buddy's face.

'Look, if it's any consolation, she didn't look that happy to see him…' he admitted as Will gave him a dirty look. 'And he kind of invited himself in.'

Will let out a long slow breath and frowned, unsure how to react to the awkward situation.

'Do you think she invited him over?' he asked.

Liam glared at him. 'I just told you, she was surprised to see him… and she didn't look that thrilled either.'

Caitlin's easy laughter was heard resonating once more, that infectious laugh that Will loved so much and that made his toes curl every single time he heard it.

'Well, she sounds pretty thrilled right now' he commented, the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head.

Liam snapped his computer shut and muted the television; it looked like this conversation would require a little more than just half his attention.

'What are you talking about?' he said, glancing out into the backyard. 'She's just being polite. What is with you anyway? Is this about the apartment?'

Will shrugged and grumbled something inaudible.

'Look, just because Caitlin's not ready to move in with you doesn't mean she's about to break it off' Liam reminded him.

'Doesn't it?'

'Of course not! God, you can be so thick sometimes. Caitlin is nuts about you' Liam reminded him.

Will's eyes remained trained on the scene playing out in the backyard, noticing Caitlin getting to her feet and the young man following suit. Suddenly, the door was opening and the two of them were stepping into the house. Will's eyes grew and he stumbled to his feet, unsure exactly how to react to his girlfriend standing there with another guy.

'Will!' Caitlin exclaimed with a bright smile. 'You're home!'

He smiled, a forced smile and he looked the other man up and down, assessing what he assumed was his competition.

'Ben, this is my boyfriend Will' she said, moving to stand beside Will and lacing her arm in his proprietarily. 'Will, Ben and I have some classes together at university.'

The stranger put out his hand, looking a little uncomfortable and he shook Will's hand, mumbling something before turning to look at Caitlin.

'Well… I guess I'll see you around campus, then' Ben muttered, looking disappointed.

'Yeah, yeah' she said, letting go of Will's arm and leading the way to the front door to walk him out. 'Thanks again for returning that book.'

'Sure' Will heard the man say as the front door was heard opening and then immediately closing.

Caitlin reappeared and gave Will a warm smile, obviously happy to see him.

'I'm glad you're back. That was… a little embarrassing' she admitted as she made her way over to place a kiss on his cheek.

Liam watched them, eyebrow raised. Caitlin seemed to notice the bouquet of flowers on the table and grinned. 'Are those for me?'

'Yeah, yeah, those are for you' Will murmured as he began to relax.

'I love them! They're beautiful' Caitlin enthused, grabbing the bouquet and heading towards the kitchen on a search for a vase.

Liam turned to look at Will, giving him that look that said 'I told you so' and promptly returned to his computer screen.

WCWCWC

'I can't believe this is our last night… already' Sara murmured as she and Neal lay in bed, facing each other.

'It's been an incredible trip' he replied, running his hand through her hair. 'Thanks for being so patient with me all week.'

'I'm just glad you're feeling better, that's all.'

A smile appeared on her face and she stretched out on the bed, rubbing her stomach.

'I am stuffed' she exclaimed. 'After tonight, I don't think I'll be needing to eat another thing until we get back home.'

The meal they'd shared, prepared by Neal's old friend, had been one of the best they'd ever had and having Hervé join them for dessert along with his signature Tarte Tatin had been the highlight of the meal.

'He's really very talented. Do you know he used to be as thin as a rail?' Neal said, his hand drawing lazy circles on Sara's arm. 'Once, he snuck into a house we were breaking into using the doggie door.'

Sara sniggered. 'You're kidding. Well, he couldn't have done _that_ tonight' she commented as she reflected on the man's imposing physique.

'He'd get stuck for sure' Neal agreed, with a chuckle.

He stopped talking and leaned in, placing a tender kiss on her smiling lips. Except for the hushed sound of traffic on the street below, the room was blissfully quiet and Sara returned the kiss, her eyes fluttering shut. Neal tightened his hold on her, his hand lingering up and down her back.

'Je t'aime' he murmured softly, gazing at her with stars in his eyes.

'I love you too' she replied softly.

She could see a shadow of something passing in his eyes, perhaps nostalgia, or maybe even regret.

'What is it, what's wrong?' she asked, running her hand down his cheek.

'Nothing… just being here in Paris feels so cathartic. Like I'm finally able to let go of some old ghosts from the past.'

She listened, eyes narrowing.

'It didn't hit me until we got here' he continued, his voice quiet. '…just how much I love our life together. And I want to look forward, not back.'

His lips returned to hers, lingering this time and placing small probing kisses on her upper lip before moving to her lower lip and doing the same.

'I want to make love to you' he whispered. 'Nice… and slow… and… deliberate. I want to take my time and let my hands and my mouth linger on every single part of your body. I want to hear you moan when I touch you and I want to hear you whisper my name.'

Sara smiled and gave her head a tiny shake; he was still such a hopeless romantic, even after all this time.

She ran her hand down his cheek, stopping to run her thumb across his lips languidly. 'Now that sounds very… very nice' she murmured.

TBC

 _A/N Tarte Tatin originated in France and is an upside- down pastry in which the fruit (usually apples) are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked._

 _Bijoux are jewels. Hopefully, the rest of the French is self-explanatory._


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter 66**

The Fourth of July weekend was always a time for celebration in the Caffrey household and this year, the family had two reasons to celebrate as the lovebirds returned from their trip to Paris. Neal and Sara were due back by late afternoon and the kids spent the day in a whirlwind, tidying up the clutter and cleaning up the mess that had accumulated over the past ten days as well as preparing for a festive barbecue in the Caffrey backyard.

Liam busied himself in the kitchen, clearing the dishes which had piled up over the past week while Cody vacuumed nearby and Will scrubbed the toilet in the downstairs bathroom. Caitlin, meanwhile, gathered the dirty laundry littered throughout the house and prepared to throw on a load of wash in the basement's laundry room. The only member of the family who was slacking off was Raffie who moved from spot to spot in search of a quiet place to settle in for nice long nap.

Amid the brouhaha, Hope, Cameron and Jacob arrived with a car full of groceries in preparation for what was shaping up to be a pretty impressive backyard barbecue. The kids had taken the initiative of inviting Mozzie, Peter and Elizabeth so that everyone could hear the tale of the honeymooners' many adventures in paradise.

The sound of the vacuum cleaner was heard over the voices of Liam and Hope as Cameron brought in the grocery bags from the car, one armful at a time.

'Hey baby boy' Liam cooed, leaning in to place a kiss on his godson's head. 'How are you today?'

He waited a moment while the baby blinked, seemingly expecting him to respond to his question.

'He's been a little bugger all morning' Hope announced, flustered. 'He hardly slept last night.'

'Oh no' Liam said, unbuckling him from his car seat and preparing to take him in his arms. 'Do you think he'd coming down with something?'

'I doubt it' Cameron replied as he reappeared, carrying a case of pop. 'He just wants to nurse all the time.'

'That's my man!' Liam declared, expertly cradling the baby.

Hope glared at him, unimpressed.

'Where do you want this?' Cam asked.

'Put a dozen or so cans in fridge and we'll stick the rest of the case over there in the corner' Liam instructed.

'So, who's all coming to the airport to pick up Mom and Dad?' Hope asked.

'Everybody wants to come' Liam declared.

'Wants to come where?' Caitlin asked as she walked by on her way to the basement, carrying a basket full of dirty laundry.

'To the airport' Hope said. 'But someone has to stay here and wait for Uncle Peter and Aunt Elizabeth.'

'Will and I can stay behind' Caitlin volunteered. 'We can get started on the food while you're gone.'

'You don't mind?' Hope asked.

'Mind what?' Will asked as he came into sight, a toilet brush in his hands.

The group laughed out loud at the level of confusion.

'I'll fill you in' Caitlin told her boyfriend.

WCWCWC

Considering the ease with which he'd slept on the flight over, it was surprising that Neal was having trouble relaxing on the long flight back. He'd been awakened from a light slumber by a text from Scott Rivers informing him of the arrival of his and Moira's baby boy and Neal hadn't been able to get back to sleep ever since.

In the seat next to him, Sara snoozed off and on, in preparation for the jet lag they would undoubtedly have to endure once they landed; she wanted to be able to stay alert for the reunion that awaited them back home. Her hand lay limply in Neal's, her grip relaxed as she slept fitfully and Neal watched her snooze, that cute little bit of drool forming in the corner of her mouth.

He fiddled with her wedding ring as she slept, reliving the last two weeks, beginning with their wedding renewal ceremony and everything that had happened since then. Despite his little relapse, their trip had been wonderful: a true bonding experience for the couple who rarely got to spend quality time alone with each other.

Neal turned in his seat to gaze at his wife, this incredible woman who was such a weird and wonderful study in contrasts. For all her strength and determination, she was as soft as a marshmallow when it came to their kids and she remained fiercely protective of those she loved. He'd seen her countless times, in her work armour, hard-nosed and fearless, unafraid of standing up for herself and her staff. She didn't suffer fools gladly and she spoke her mind with very little in the way of a filter - worse it seemed, the older she got, not that he would be sharing that observation with her anytime soon, or ever for that matter.

But underneath all that bluster was soft, gentle Sara, the part of herself that she shared just with him. Neal loved being the only one to see that hidden side of her: her warm, sexy laugh, the way her eyes sparkled when she got excited about something, that look of pure lust and desire as she teased him in bed, her unguarded reactions to his loving touches and the sound of his voice. She was the full package, a curious mix of contradictions he never knew existed until she'd come into his life: a competent, strong-willed, determined woman who stood up for herself and a confident, sexy, desirable lover who wasn't afraid to use her feminine wiles and who gladly surrendered to her husband's charms. After all these years, she remained an enigma and, without knowing quite how or why, he was the lucky guy who held the key.

He felt her hand tighten in his and her eyes fluttered open, surprised to see him gazing at her so intently.

'What is it? Was I drooling?' she asked, her hand moving up to wipe the corner of her mouth.

Neal looked her straight in the eye and lied - an absolute must in a situation such as this.

'No' he said with a gentle smile. 'I was just thinking about what an amazing trip we had… and how much I love you.'

'You sap!' she teased, reverting to her no-nonsense persona. She softened her gaze before adding. 'It _was_ amazing, wasn't it?'

She caught what appeared to be a tinge of sadness in Neal's eyes. 'What is it, honey?' she asked, squeezing his hand.

Neal shrugged. 'I don't know… being in Paris brought back all these vivid memories and most of them were happy ones and it was great visiting all those places I hadn't seen in so long and seeing Hervé again.'

Sara listened as he poured his heart out.

'But it brought back some sad memories too and I feel like I was finally able to let go of some of that stuff that's been haunting me… you know, like what happened to Kate' he admitted. 'She'll always be a part of my past but now I feel like I can let go of some of the guilt… and the pain.'

'I'm glad' Sara replied. 'It was a horrible time in your life and I hate to think about you having to relive what happened.'

'I don't…' he hastened to respond '…not normally. But being there again… it definitely brought back some pretty intense memories.'

He refocussed his attention on her face, noticing a frown there. 'That's why I was so glad to be sharing it with you. Nobody else knows me or understands me the way you do' he murmured.

Sara sighed, bringing her head to rest against his shoulder. 'I'm still working on figuring you out, Caffrey. You are one complicated man.'

He brought his lips to her forehead, depositing a gentle kiss. 'That's okay, you've got another twenty-five years.'

WCWCWC

The extended family returned from the airport to find the house in full party mode with food galore and lots of happy sounds from the dog barking to herald the newcomers' arrival to Jacob's unbridled cooing and gurgling.

Everyone talked over each other, laughter resonating throughout the Caffrey home as they all caught up with each other and their news. Neal had been impressed with the state in which they'd found the house although he suspected the cleanliness and tidiness might have been the result of a mad dash to the finish line rather than some sustained effort to keep the place neat and orderly. He even commented on how clean the car was - unaware that it now sported a brand new front fender and a shiny new tail light, following Liam's little parking lot mishap.

Liam and Cody had made peace with each other and come to an understanding about the status of their relationship. They were working on finding a happy medium between being long distance lovers, living in different cities versus being inseparable and joined at the hip. Their little hiccup wasn't visible to anyone, Neal and Sara none the wiser that the two men had quarrelled and eventually made up.

Will was disappointed not to be moving in with Caitlin but she'd reassured him that she very much wanted to keep seeing him and that she just needed to take her time getting to know him better before ratcheting things up a notch. He announced his imminent departure, scheduled for the end of the summer and Neal and Sara seemed genuinely sad to see him go, unaware just how close they'd come to losing their foster daughter as well.

Neal couldn't help but notice the ease with which both Hope and Cameron interacted with their newborn son - just like old pros. They seemed relaxed as they tended to his every need and they even let him and Sara shamefully dote on him throughout the evening, taking turns holding him and listening to him gurgle and coo.

Having Mozzie, Peter and Elizabeth with them was the icing on the cake. Neal and Sara recounted story after story of their adventures, the places they'd visited, the shows they'd seen, the meals they'd shared. The details of the day spent in their hotel, they kept to themselves and except for the picture Neal had secretly taken with his phone of the sexy portrait of his wife, they had covered their tracks and there was no mention of Sara's adventures as a muse, posing in a bustier for her favourite artiste.

It was remarkably easy to get back in the groove and after a wonderful meal, everyone busied themselves with the clean up. Once things got quiet, Hope gave her husband a knowing glance and headed outside to have a private chat with her dad.

WCWCWC

'And that's basically it' Hope said, staring at her dad as she awaited his reaction.

She held her breath, waiting eagerly for a response. She'd just finished giving him chapter and verse on her little foray into the world of book publishing, explaining in great detail how she'd gone ahead and met with her aunt Elizabeth's old friend to discuss the possibility of having their story published. To his credit, Neal had sat there in silence, listening closely as his daughter spouted her intentions, the process, the contract, the cash advance and the deadline that was looming.

He held the prototype in his hands, studying each and every page but he hadn't said a word and Hope was getting worried that, for some reason she hadn't anticipated, he might absolutely _hate_ the idea.

'These drawings… honey, they're incredible' he said as he kept perusing the book. 'What… why did you do this?'

'For you' she replied. 'And for Jacob… and for all the little Jacobs in the world who are going to love this story. And for me too, I guess.'

Neal nodded, his face relaxing and a smile appearing on his lips.

'So, Rhett really liked the story?' he asked, eyes narrowing.

'Yeah Dad, he loved it. All those stories you used to tell me when I was little, they're wonderful.'

'So what would I need to do?' he asked as he examined the mock-up in his hands, impressed by how professional it looked.

'Well, for one thing, it's going to look a lot better than this when it's done properly. This is just something Aunt Emily helped me put together for the publishers to look at' she explained. 'So you'd need to fine tune the text, I went from memory but you would really need to go through it and put your own brand on it.'

'My own brand?' Neal repeated with an amused grin.

'It's just publishing lingo' she said with a glint in her eye. 'You know… you'd be the author of the book so it has to be in your own words.'

Neal grinned widely; her enthusiasm was contagious.

'So, you're not upset I didn't ask you first?'

'Upset? Why would I be upset? This is… well, it's certainly a surprise but it's a great idea.'

Hope was off again, bubbling over with enthusiasm. 'Rhett says there's a real market for children's books and between your stories and my illustrations… he said we could have a whole series of children's books.'

'A whole series?' Neal repeated, incredulous.

He could see the joy in his daughter's eyes, passion for her craft that he hadn't seen in a long time. Ever since she'd been forced to abandon her studies at Carnegie Mellon, Hope had been drifting, looking for a new place to fit into the world. She loved working at the gallery and she had started painting again but this… this was something she could really sink her teeth into and Neal could see the excitement dancing in her eyes.

'Is this something you might like to do?' he asked her.

Hope tried unsuccessfully to contain her elation. 'I don't know… it's just really gratifying to know that children everywhere could be enjoying my art instead of just the one person who decides to buy my painting at the gallery.'

If this new adventure was going to put that kind of smile on his little girl's face, there was no way Neal wasn't going to do all he could to make it happen.

'So, where do I sign?' Neal asked, not needing to hear any more.

'Really?' Hope shrieked, throwing her arms around her dad's neck and hugging him tightly.

'Whoa, whoa!' he shouted as she almost threw him off balance.

'Oh, Daddy, this is going to be so wonderful. It's just like when we worked together on the mural at the school' she enthused. 'You know, I was thinking of that story you used to tell me about how snowflakes got their different shapes. I had a few ideas for the artwork —'

Neal put up his hand, intent on getting her to slow down just a little. 'Slow down, sweet pea! Why don't we start with this one and then, we can talk about the next one' he suggested as she nodded enthusiastically.

'Okay!' she replied, her eyes bright with excitement.

WCWCWC

He was five weeks and two days old when Jacob Armstrong was finally left in the care of his grandparents for the very first time. Grandpa and Grandma had been begging the new parents to let them take him for a few hours and Hope and Cameron had finally conceded, agreeing that a few hours to themselves might be beneficial for their badly neglected relationship. Jacob's routine was fairly well established; he was sleeping in spurts of two to three hours between feedings and remaining awake for about an hour at a time - prime time for grown-ups to cuddle, sing, coo and just generally fawn over the little guy. Hope briefed her mom on his routine and proceeded to place a few bottles of breastmilk in the refrigerator while Cameron gave his father-in-law some important last-minute instructions.

'If he starts to get grumpy, just put him down for his nap' he instructed as Neal nodded.

'They say it's important to put the baby down while he's still awake so he can learn to self-soothe and put himself to sleep' Cam specified earnestly.

'Got it!' Neal said as Hope and Sara shared knowing looks.

'Oh, and the soother is the absolute _last_ resort if he doesn't settle' Cam added. 'We don't want him to become dependent on it.'

'I'm sure he'll be fine, babe' Hope said to her husband who chose to totally ignore her.

'And don't forget to put him down on his back, never his stomach' the young dad added, his voice growing anxious.

'Right' Neal concurred. 'On his back.'

'And when he takes his bottle, he likes to —'

'Cam! Cam!' Hope interrupted. 'We really should get going if we want to do a little bit of shopping before we go out to dinner.'

'Right' Cameron replied, seemingly realizing his apprehensions might be unfounded.

'We promise to take excellent care of him' Sara offered, hand on Cam's back in reassurance.

'And you have our cell phone numbers?' the young dad asked.

'We do, both of them. On speed dial' Neal replied, humouring his son-in-law.

Cameron nodded but still seemed uncertain and Hope took him by the hand and began pulling him towards the front door and their waiting car. She adored her son but she'd spent every waking moment over the last several weeks in his presence and she was more than ready for some grown-up conversation. Cameron, on the other hand, had been back to work for a while and had to satisfy himself with an hour or so with his son before the baby went to sleep for the night; he couldn't get enough of holding the baby, talking to him and sadly, singing to him.

'Have fun you two!' Sara called out from the front door as they waved them off. 'And don't worry about a thing.'

'Wow! He's got it bad' Neal commented as the door closed and the couple returned to their childminding duties.

Sara gave him a sideways look, eyebrows raised. 'You're kidding, right?' she said as he frowned at her, unsure what she was referring to.

'That was pretty well an exact replay of the way _you_ acted when we left Hope with El and Peter the first time.'

Neal seemed offended at the suggestion and he shook his head violently. 'It was not!' he declared, indignant.

'Right' Sara said, walking away. 'Keep telling yourself that, Caffrey.'

WCWCWC

Sara peeked into the bathroom, a crying Jacob in her arms and a look of alarm on her face. Neal had been working on the DIY plumbing project for over an hour and didn't appear to be making much progress.

'Honey, how long is this going to take? I need water to heat up Jake's bottle.'

Neal looked up from inside the bathtub where he stood, wrench in hand, sweat on his brow. 'Sorry, it's taking a little longer than I thought. Why don't you use the microwave?'

Sara frowned, bouncing the baby up and down in her arms in an effort to calm him. 'I don't want to use the microwave. It breaks down enzymes and it decreases antibody levels in breast milk.'

Neal looked back at her, eyebrows raised. When had his wife become such a walking encyclopedia on the dangers of microwaving breast milk?

'Just… just give me another two minutes, okay?' he mumbled, returning to the task at hand. 'If I can't figure it out, I'll turn the water back on and we'll call a plumber.'

To say that Neal was a successful do-it-yourselfer was more than a slight exaggeration - and yet, his pride often got in the way of him asking for help. Over the years, he'd learned to do basic home repairs, things like assembling pre-fab furniture, painting, installing the odd knob or hinge and doing yard work but when it came to more complex jobs, he usually deferred to the superior skills of one Peter Burke, handyman extraordinaire.

Ever since they'd stayed at the Four Seasons in Manhattan, Neal had become fixated with getting a rain shower head for the bathroom and he'd gone out and blown several hundred dollars on a deluxe model, intent on installing it so he could enjoy some superior showering right in his own home. With Jacob sound asleep, it had seemed like the perfect time to get the job done. But that was over an hour ago and all he had to show for his trouble was a gaping hole in the ceramic tile and an array of power tools scattered all over their bathroom.

He'd insisted on tackling the task by himself, and Sara was realizing he'd overshot the mark, overestimating his ability to carry out what was turning into a complicated project. Pretty well every power tool Neal owned lay around him in the bathtub as she watched him struggle with reconfiguring the hole in the shower wall to accommodate the new hardware.

'Why don't you just call Peter and see if he can come over and give you a hand?' she suggested, over the baby's wailing.

His pride hurt, Neal glared at his wife, daggers in his eyes, disappointed in her lack of confidence in him.

'Two minutes' he repeated curtly.

Sara stepped out of the bathroom, Jacob cradled in her arms and made her way down to the kitchen, taking a bottle of breastmilk out of the fridge and staring at it before glancing at the microwave and setting the bottle down. She reached for the phone instead.

'Peter, it's me' Sara said, over the baby's cries. 'I need you to come over here and save Neal from himself.'

WCWCWC

By the time Peter arrived, the house was quiet and Neal was back at it, determined to install his new shower head at all costs. He'd turned the water back on momentarily so that Jacob's bottle could be warmed up and he'd immediately returned to the task, cursing under his breath as he worked.

'Hey!' Peter called out, appearing in the doorway to the Caffrey's bathroom as if him being there was the most natural thing in the world.

Instead of the cheery welcome he usually got, Peter was surprised to see Neal scowling back at him.

'She called you, didn't she?' Neal said, his tone accusatory.

'What do you mean?' Peter attempted, without much success. 'I just happened to be in the neighbourhood.'

'Right' Neal mumbled, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Peter leaned against the bathroom counter and crossed his arms, taking in the mess surrounding his best friend and waiting patiently for Neal to admit defeat and ask for his help.

'So, what are you up to, anyway?' he asked, trying for a reset.

'I'm planting some new flower bulbs, what does it look like I'm doing?' Neal grumbled, not even bothering to look up.

Ignoring Peter, he picked up a power grinder from the mess of tools at his feet and raised it towards the hole he'd created in the shower wall, hoping to widen it another eighth of an inch to accommodate the width of the new pipe.

Peter cringed at his best friend's poor technique and sure enough, Neal had barely turned on the power tool when his hand slipped, clipping his hand in the process and causing a large crack to form in the ceramic shower wall.

'Damn it!' Neal shouted as Sara appeared in the doorway to investigate.

'Neal! The baby's sleeping' she reminded him, noticing him holding his hand.

'What did you do?' she asked, her voice morphing into a more conciliatory tone.

'Nothing, nothing' he groused, trying to keep her from seeing the cut on his hand.

'All right, I've seen enough' Peter said in his take charge voice. 'Move, I'm taking over.'

Neal glared at him but surprisingly, did as he was told.

Once a handler, always a handler.

WCWCWC

'Hey, little man, does that feel better?' Grandpa Neal whispered as the two of them settled in the rocking chair following the latest diaper change.

He grabbed for the bottle he'd brought up from the kitchen and checked its temperature one last time, placing it against the baby's lips and encouraging him to start taking it.

'You hungry, baby Jacob?' he asked, his voice soft.

Now that the drama with the shower head was finally behind them, calm had returned to the little house on Meadowbrook Street. Neal had reluctantly let Sara tend to the minor cut on his hand, leaving Peter to expertly install the much coveted rain shower head — something which the skilled handyman had managed to do in fifteen minutes flat, without even breaking a sweat.

His pride might have been bruised but Neal tried to focus on the fact that, before the day was over, he'd be enjoying a luxurious shower under those fantastic rain jets - a consolation of sorts.

The baby's bright eyes continued to stare up at him, his gaze steady and Neal smiled gently as he began to sing him a lullaby, Jacob's eyes widening at the sound of his grandfather's velvety voice.

'Oh, you like that, huh?' Neal murmured as the baby latched on to the bottle's nipple enthusiastically. 'That was one of your mommy's favourite songs, too.'

'When you're done, I have a special surprise for you' he said, glancing at the table by his side and spying a first edition copy of his and Hope's brand new book. 'Your mommy drew these beautiful pictures for you to look at and Grandpa's going to tell you the story he told your mommy when she was just a little girl.'

Sara appeared in the doorway to the baby's room, leaning on the door jamb as she listened to her husband whispering to their newborn grandson. Grandpa Neal continued to speak softly, unaware of her standing there with a wistful smile on her face as she flashed back to twenty-five years earlier and Daddy Neal cradling their baby daughter in his arms.

'Your mommy loved it when I used to tell her stories and now, I'm going to do the same for you so that someday, you can sit and tell those same stories to your own little baby. That's right, little man, you're going to grow up someday and become a daddy and then, if you're lucky, a granddad like me' Neal murmured, his voice quiet.

'I know!' Neal continued, his voice animated. 'It was hard for me to believe, too. I never saw it coming but hey… here we are, little man.'

Jacob let out a soft cooing sound, followed by a satisfied sigh and Neal removed the now empty bottle from his mouth with a soft popping noise. He lifted him up towards his face, bringing the baby's cheek up against his own rough skin and turned to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. Sara watched in silence, emotion rising in her chest at the sight of the man she loved, totally taken by his beautiful little grandson.

'Here' Neal said, settling Jake on his lap and reaching for the book.

'I'm going to tell you the story of how birds got their colours. Did you know they weren't always so colourful' he asked, as if expecting a response.

A small smile graced the baby's lips as he stared up at his grandpa and Neal returned the gentle smile. He held the book up but Jacob continued to stare up at his grandfather, seemingly mesmerized by the sound of his voice and the movement of his lips.

Neal locked eyes with him, the miracle of life lying right there in his arms.

'A long time ago, all the birds in the world were grey…' he began in a whisper.

La fin


End file.
